Play The Game
by Brookebynature
Summary: Brooke Davis was Tree Hill's hardest player, the one every guy wanted, the one every girl wanted to be. But when arrogant, cocky new arrival Lucas Scott comes to town, it becomes a whole lot harder for her to play the game. BL COMPLETE
1. Prologue

**Author- **Emily-Grace Mendes (Brookebynature)

**Disclaimer- **I don't own the characters or the show. Only the story.

**A/N- **Hey guys, another of my stories for you lol. This one was really fun to write. Here's a little background info for you before the main story starts. Hope you enjoy xxx

**

* * *

**

**Play The Game**

Prologue

Brooke Davis owned high school. No really, she did. Her Dad had practically paid for the library and the gymnasium, and the new state of the art cafeteria too. But Brooke also owned high school in a different way.

She owned hearts, she owned the status of head cheerleader, she owned power. And with power came control.

She didn't work hard. She didn't have to. She only worked to get what she wanted, and that practically came to her with a click of her fingers or a raise of her perfectly-plucked eyebrows.

Her latest conquest was Tyler Mandel, captain of the soccer team. She'd moved on from the basketball team now, they were as good as dead to her. Besides, Brooke Davis didn't sleep with anyone for longer than a week. It just wasn't her style.

It was his highlighted hair that had caught her attention at first. No that was a lie. It was his status as king of the jocks that had caught her attention. Well, if you looked at it from an outsiders point of view, I guess you could say that he was vice king of the jocks. Prince even. But he _did _have good hair.

Yes, that's a more accurate social description. Nathan Scott was King, he always had been. You could say that he was her equivalent, a male Brooke Davis. And he was dating her best friend Peyton. Well, more _sleeping with _than dating because they didn't 'date' Hell, they didn't even really hang out. They were seen together at parties, and they had sex on weekends.

But it was Brooke and Peyton most of the time. Invited to the hottest parties, sleeping with the hottest guys, and being seen as the hottest girls in school. It wasn't a lie, they _were _the hottest girls in school. Anyone could have told you that, but the moment you'd seen them, you'd know for yourself anyway.

You couldn't place a finger on what it was that gained them this power. Was it their looks? Was it their attitudes? Or was it just _who they were?_

Nobody knew, but they didn't seem to care anyway.

It was like Brooke saw high school as some sort of challenge: earn your reputation, keep your reputation, know who you are.

And she knew exactly who she was. She was cold and she was hard and she played the game.

* * *

Please review xxx

**A/N- **I'm flying out to see my new house in France tomorrow morning, but I should be back within a week (depends how much time I can bare to spend with the parentals) and I'll update this as soon as I return.

Emily-Grace xxx


	2. Play Hard

**Author- **Emily-Grace Mendes (Brookebynature)

**Disclaimer- **I don't own the characters or the show. Only the story.

**A/N- **Thank you for the reviews you guys, I love reading them. Updates will probably be less frquent of late, since I'm now in Spain with my little sister (and without the parentals) and looking after her is kinda hard work when she keeps shouting things at me and other people in Spanish and I don't know what the hell she's saying.

So I guess this is the start of the story really. Hope you enjoy xxx

**

* * *

**

**Play The Game**

Chapter 1- Play Hard

"So I heard there's a party at Nate's this weekend" Brooke sat on the bench next to Peyton, repeatedly moving a strand of hair out of her face, the wind completely annoying her.

"Beach house" Peyton told her simply, barely even looked up from the c.d cover she was staring intently at.

"Ya know blondie locks, I always wonder what it is we have in common." Brooke frowned at her friend who had hardly acknowledged her presence.

"you're both bitches"

Brooke turned around to see Nathan standing behind her.

"What brings you to our table? Shouldn't you be shooting hoops or talking about your sex lives, or whatever it is you guys do?" She asked him snidely, turning away from him again to focus on the bag of chips she had just bought from the cafeteria.

"Actually, I'm here because I wanted to make sure that you're coming to the beach house on Friday night."

"You know it."

"I do" he shrugged as he walked away, leaving Peyton without a kiss, or even a 'see you later'

"Jackass" Brooke muttered as she placed a crisp in her mouth, crunching on it delicately.

"You know you'd be perfect for each other" Peyton told her bluntly, dipping her hand into the bag of chips. "I'm surprised you haven't fucked him already."

"I have" Brooke replied nonchalantly, taking another crisp in between her thumb and forefinger.

"What? When?" Peyton demanded, snapping her hand away from the chips.

Brooke bit into her chip, licking the salt slowly off her lips. "the other week"

"And you didn't tell me?"

"Just did" she shrugged. "It's not like it matters."

"How the hell does it not matter?"

"It's not like he's your boyfriend"

Peyton had a hurt expression on her face but Brooke ignored it and continued. "Oh you don't think he thinks of you as a girlfriend do you? Come on, you're just fuck buddies."

"We're not all sluts like you Brooke." she shot back, standing up from her seat at the table.

"Don't kid yourself Peyton. We're both sluts and you know it."

"Why the hell would you want to talk about yourself that way? We're seventeen Brooke."

"I know what I am Peyton. I can accept that. Why can't you?"

She started to walk away, but turned back to face Brooke one last time. "Maybe I'm tired of being one of those girls."

* * *

Brooke entered the gym and was met by a hostile atmosphere. Damn those cheerleaders could be bitchy if they wanted. She'd taught them well. 

"Yo hoes. Lets get to work." Brooke ignored the looks she was receiving and focused instead on a new move she'd seen some other high school do on ESPN.

"Half twist and into splits." she told the rest of the squad, completing the sequence perfectly. They nodded in approval, quickly forgetting the fact that they were meant to be against Brooke Davis. 'There's no I in team' and all that crap.

Except there was an 'I' in Brooke's team, and they all knew it.

* * *

"What's this?" Brooke slammed her hand on top of the silver drop-top Mercedes that was sparked in the space in the parking lot. _Her _space. 

"A car" the blonde boy sat behind the wheel replied bluntly, squinting his eyes at the girl with the stony expression.

"Why is it parked in my space?"

"Your space?"

"Why are you repeating what I'm saying?" Brooke asked, growing increasingly angry by the second.

"Why are you asking stupid questions?"

"Look can you just move this heap of crap and then I can be on my way."

The boy revved the engine and Brooke cocked her eyebrow. But he didn't budge.

"Why do you want me to move so bad anyway? It's not like you have a car that needs parking."

"I will tomorrow." Brooke told him, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Fucking wind"

"Well today's not tomorrow, so there's no problem."

"Hey Jackass" Nathan's voice shouted over the revving. "Move the car."

"Hey Nathan" the boy shouted back "Try saying please"

Nathan shook his head and beeped his horn, starting a frenzy of car drivers beeping their own horns.

"You know him?" Brooke asked, narrowing her eyes at the boy in front of her. Come to think of it, he was actually pretty hot. '_No Brooke' _She had to stay focused.

"Oh Nathan and I go way back." The blonde told her. "In fact, it's about seventeen years if I'm not mistaken."

Nathan shook his head, running a hand through his brown hair.

"We're brothers" he told Brooke, smiling at a pissed-looking Nathan. "Lucas Scott, pleased to meet you." he extended his hand out to Brooke who just stared back and forth between the two.

"I never know you had a brother" she told Nathan, shifting her pink ring binder from her right arm to her left.

"Aww Nate, you ashamed of me?" Lucas sneered, pressing a button inside the car that made the top come up and over his head, just as the grey clouds above them started to gather together.

"Whatever" Nathan said, gripping the steering wheel of his Toyota, cursing to himself as Brooke continued to stare between the two. "I'm out of here."

Brooke watched him zoom out of the parking lot, heads turning as he did so.

* * *

"Way to go ass hole" Brooke told Lucas "That was my ride." 

Lucas shrugged "Guess I'll just have to take you home then."

Brooke contemplated declining the offer, but after looking up at the sky, and then down at her outfit, she decided that a ride home was probably best.

"So how come I haven't seen you around here before?" Brooke asked. It couldn't hurt to find out a little background information about this Lucas guy. After all, he was Nathan's 'secret' brother, so there had to be some kind of interesting story to explain all of this.

"I just moved here" he replied simply, not even turning to look at the brunette beauty beside him. Itching to find out more, Brooke just nodded, playing it cool. She didn't want to seem _interested_ in this guy. She'd known him what? All of ten minutes?

But there was just something about him.

"Nice house" Lucas said as he pulled up in front of Brooke's driveway, a shiny new-looking powder blue beetle parked in the centre.

"Nice wheels" she told him, slamming the door after her. Lucas wound down the window and stuck his head out.

"Aren't you gonna invite me in?"

Brooke shook her head. "Nah, but there's this party on Friday night."

"Nathan's beach house."

Brooke nodded. "How'd you know?"

"Word gets around."

Brooke opened her door and turned back to face the silver car.

"You'd better get to school early tomorrow" Lucas shouted

"And why is that?"

"I kinda liked that parking space."

Brooke watched him drive off, her mouth slightly open until she remembered to close it. There was just something about him that she liked. And that was weird. Brooke didn't like anybody, at least, that's what she told herself.

* * *

You like?... 


	3. Play Fast

**Author- **Emily-Grace Mendes (Brookebynature)

**Disclaimer- **I don't own the characters or the show, only this story.

**A/N- **Again, a huge thank you to everyone who has reviewd, I love reading them. Hope you enjoy this xxx

**

* * *

**

**Play The Game**

Play Fast

The party was almost in full swing by the time Brooke got there. Only almost, because for a proper party in Tree Hill, Brooke Davis had to be there, partly as the girl for the guys to lust after, partly to add drama. And Brooke did both with ease.

Three guys offered her a drink when she walked into Nathan's kitchen, and she accepted. All three. Downing the shots of vodka, one after another, receiving cheers from the occupants in the kitchen, Brooke spied Nathan and Peyton across the room.

"What's up guys?" she let her arm hang loosely around Peyton's shoulders, but she quickly shrugged it off, earning confused looks from both Brooke and Nathan.

"It's called a party Brooke" Nathan told her, taking a swig of beer from the bottle. Used to Nathan's sarcasm, Brooke raised one eyebrow and turned her attention solely to Peyton.

"Not very talkative tonight goldilocks"

"Maybe I don't want to talk" Peyton muttered, making sure that Brooke could hear her.

Brooke shrugged "Fair enough"

The door opened, and the blonde boy entering instantly caught Brooke's attention. She leaned in so that Peyton could feel her breath on her neck. "But don't complain that you can't talk to me when I'm in bed with that" She pointed to Lucas, making his way to the kitchen. Nathan looked up, his eyes showing anger, and his fists clenching to prove it.

"Who the hell invited that jerk?"

"I did" Brooke told him, grabbing the bottle of beer out of his hand and taking a large swig, handing it back to Nathan when she had finished. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"Yeah, it's a party Brooke, not a losers convention."

Brooke looked over at Lucas who seemed unusually popular for a new guy. He was wearing jeans and a blue sweater, accentuating his blue eyes, which Brooke could clearly see, even though the vodka shots were starting to make her head a little fuzzy.

"He hardly looks like a loser to me."

* * *

Making her way across the room, Brooke aimed to_ accidentally _brush past him, maybe cause him to spill his drink, turn around, shout at her. She liked a when hot guys got angry, it just seemed to make them even hotter. 

But her plan was thwarted by some red-haired girl who had gotten there first, and skipped Brooke's first step, which would have been the initial meeting while flirting. Come to think of it, the girl had skipped several stages as Brooke watched her lips captivate Lucas', and he didn't seem to be pulling away.

It didn't matter. Just because that girl had kissed Lucas, it didn't automatically mean that he was hers. He was still fair game. And boy did Brooke know how to play the game.

"I need to borrow you for a minute" she wasted no time in waiting for a reply from Lucas as she had moved in between him and the red-haired girl, resting her hands lightly on his chest as she flashed him a dimpled smile.

"I'm busy" he told her.

"Too busy for me?"

He shook his head and gave her a grin. All guys were the same: powerless before Brooke Davis.

Not giving the red-haired girl a second glance, Lucas let Brooke take his hand and lead him to the some room at the back of the house. It didn't really seem to house anything in particular, just trophies, a few plaques, odd gym equipment and cardboard boxes.

* * *

"So what did you need my help with?" he asked, raising his eyebrows as she leant back against a box, twirling a strand of her brunette hair around her finger. 

"This" she turned around and swept her hair off of her back, revealing a plunging neckline of her silk top, showing a lot of skin, and a red bra.

"I can't reach the clasp to undo it" Brooke told him, making sure to catch his eye once more before he stepped closer to her, placing his hands on her soft skin. "And it's really uncomfortable" She bit her lip, so as not to moan as she felt his fingertips graze the red material slowly, teasing her every step of the way.

"You're good at this" Brooke told Lucas as she felt him undo the clasp, keeping his hands on her back in order to keep the bra around her.

He shrugged and grinned a little "I've had a lot of practise."

"Guess you should show me what you can do then." she turned around, letting the strapless bra slip down to her waist as she pulled it out from under the silky material of her top, winking at Lucas as he stepped a little closer.

He stopped, just far away from her so that their lips weren't touching, but close enough so that she could feel his warm breath causing goose bumps to appear on her skin. She closed her eyes and leant in further, almost meeting his lips with hers, but he moved so that he could whisper in her ear

"I can play the game too."

And then he left her standing there, the bra dangling from her hand as her mouth was left open yet again, both shocked yet impressed at the way he had her wanting him so badly.

* * *

The next time she saw him again, Brooke was on her seventh shot of vodka, words slurring from her mouth as she told some girl how much she loved her. Lucas laughed and shook his head, winking in Brooke's direction which was enough to send her anger levels into overdrive. 

She marched into the middle of the living room, which, during their stint in the back room, had seemingly turned into a dance floor, packed with teens grinding sexily up against one another, guys with girls, girls with girls, guys standing around the edges watching.

"You're back" Lucas stated, taking a swig from the bottle of beer he held in his left hand.

"Thanks for stating the obvious asshole"

He chuckled a little, trying to keep his cool while looking at the brunette, whose red top mixed with no bra and smudged eyeliner was turning him further by the second.

"So you've ditched the compliments and moved onto insults have you?"

Brooke's nostrils flared as he continued to watch her while sipping on the beer, until she could stand it no longer, grabbing him by the blue sweater he was wearing as she pressed her lips firmly up against his.

* * *

Please review xxx 


	4. Play It Straight

**Author- **Emily-Grace Mendes (Brookebynature)

**Disclaimer- **I own nothing...other than this story

**A/N- **This is just a request for help really. I can't get those big blue lines to come up on my page anymore to separte parts of this story. Is it working for anyone else who posts fan fiction on here?

Anyways, on with the chapter...

**Play The Game**

Play It Straight

They had barely made it upstairs by the time Brooke had removed Lucas' sweater, and his hands were tangling in her hair. A small moan escaped her lips as Lucas slammed the door behind them, allowing himself to fall down onto the large double bed, bringing her with him.

"I'm surprised it took you this long to resist me" Brooke mumbled before her hands travelled to the black belt around his jeans, swiftly undoing the buckle while he did the same to her.

"Me too" he replied quickly, before adding "I wasn't sure how much longer I could last"

She silenced him again by capturing his lips with hers, slipping her tongue into his mouth to massage it with her own, their noses pressed together, hot breath becoming increasing ragged.

He removed the red top, it landing haphazardly on the floor among various other pieces of clothing, which previously, had been covering their bodies. Her back arched towards him as his lips trailed hot kisses across her collar bone and down her breasts, causing a moan to escape her lips. He smiled as her fingers travelled to the hem of his Calvin Klein boxers, the tight white material almost too much around the bulge which was barely contained.

Brooke raised her eyebrows as the last item of his clothing joined the ever-growing pile on the floor, her gaze transfixed on _that area. _He leant down to kiss her once more before removing the panties which would have matched the bra, had it actually been on her body.

----

Peyton's hands snaked around Nathan's torso from behind, but he caught them and sharply turned around, placing her hands by her side as he held onto them.

"What's up?" she whispered into his ear, her warm breath making the hairs on his neck stand on end.

"Nothing, I just don't think we should do this now."

"Do what? Kiss?" her voice was louder now, audible above the music.

"Peyton just….."

"Just what?" she shouted "leave you alone? God Nathan I don't need to be told twice. I'm getting Brooke and then we're leaving."

He just stood there, stared at by most people in the room for a few seconds, who then went back to drinking or dancing, or whatever it was they had been doing before Peyton's outburst.

----

Their moans were louder now, Lucas moving at a faster pace as Brooke dug her nails into his back.

"God Lucas keep….." the rest of it she couldn't say as she felt herself nearing orgasm. He took this as a cue to speed up his movements, grinding his body harder against hers.

"Brooke are you……OH MY GOD!" Peyton shouted, her hand covering her eyes as her best friend clutched the sheets around her naked body, as Lucas grinned.

"I'll just….wait outside" she mumbled, shutting the door quickly behind her.

"Guess you'll have to wait a little longer" Lucas chuckled, one of his eyebrows raised, just as Brooke usually did.

"Don't kid yourself" she did up her jeans quickly, before he could catch sight of any more of her body. "It wasn't that good."

"Normally you lie well" Lucas mused as he rested his hands behind his head, his blue eyes staring at Brooke's lithe body. "But that was shit."

"Okay so maybe I liked it" she told him, turning around as she finished putting on the silk top, without the bra. He felt his breath catch in his throat as he stared at her. He had to admit she was beautiful, but this didn't mean anything.

"But it doesn't mean it's going to happen again."

Brooke got up off the bed and walked to the door, bra in hand. She turned to look at him one more time as she cocked an eyebrow, the exact same way he had just moments earlier. Throwing the bra at him she smiled.

She was about to shut the door behind her when he called her name.

"Brooke"

She looked up at him, the alcohol wearing off slightly as she heard something smash down in the living room.

"We both know it's going to happen again."

----

Peyton looked up at Brooke with tears visible in her eyes, tears that Brooke hadn't often seen her cry before.

"Hey" she said softly. "I'm sorry about before, about being a bitch."

"It's okay" Brooke waved it off "After all, I did sleep with your boyfriend."

"Except he's not my boyfriend though is he?" Her voice had started to crack now, and Brooke quickly ushered the blonde outside, away from the party. "He doesn't even like me. He just uses me."

Brooke swallowed, thinking of a way she could break it to Peyton that most guys, if not all of them, were in fact, like Nathan until they at least graduated high school.

"He does like you Peyt, he's just worried about what people will think ya know? Nathan Scott is like this God, so it's going to ruin his image if it looks like he cares about someone. Let alone a girl that could get any other guy she wanted."

Peyton sniffed a little and threw her arms around Brooke. "I love you B.Davis"

"I love me too" the brunette giggled as Peyton poked her. "You know I love you P.Sawyer. It's always been us right?"

"Right."

"So what do you say we get some pizza? That sex kinda made me hungry."

Peyton laughed lightly as the two walked along the sidewalk, passing a few guys that wolf-whistled at the sight of their outfits and smudged make-up. Smudged in a good way.

----

Nathan caught sight of a brunette girl, not far from where he was standing. Her body was grinding up against that of her friend, the two of them attracting stares from many guys other than Nathan. But Nathan was king. He was going to get the girl. They all knew that.

"You're a good dancer" he told her, handing her a cooled beer as she blew a wisp of hair away from her hot face.

"Thanks"

"I'm Nathan" he held out his hand as the brunette girl giggled.

"I know who you are"

Her friend made a quick exit as Nathan sidled closer, his hand snaking around the waist of the girl he'd known for all of two minutes.

"I'm Sara"

----

"So was he good?" Peyton asked as they tucked into a slice of pizza.

Brooke shrugged. "He was okay"

"Well that's a lie" Peyton told her, a smile playing on her lips. "You like him."

"What? Don't be stupid Peyt, I've known him what? A few days."

"So?"

"So I don't like him."

"If that's what you wanna tell yourself." Peyton shrugged.

----

A few drinks later, Sara was drunk enough to forget about caring who saw her and Nathan together, or what she looked like. And Nathan knew exactly what he was doing as they fumbled into the hallway, lips against lips, bodies grazing as Nathan led her upstairs.

The landing provided the perfect place for Nathan to start unbuttoning Sara's shirt as she sucked on his neck, urging him to continue. It was only when he glanced around that he saw a blue shirt on the floor, a blue shirt that he instantly recognised.

"Hey!" Sara exclaimed as Nathan broke away and bent down to pick of the item of clothing, his face turning into a scowl.

"Hello" She raised her eyebrows while waving her hands at Nathan. "We were kind of in the middle of something."

Nathan ignored her and burst through the door a the first bedroom to find Lucas laying nonchalantly, hands behind his head, smile on his face.

"Get the hell out of my house" Nathan shouted, throwing the shirt at Lucas who was making no attempt to go anywhere.

"You look pissed"

"You have that effect on me"

"What the hell are you doing in here?" Nathan asked, forgetting about the fact that there was a girl outside who was growing increasingly irate as Nathan continued to bicker with Lucas.

"Well, I would have been doing your friend. You know, brunette, sexy…….killer rack." Lucas started "Had it not been for that Peyton girl. I guess it's a good job anyway. We don't want people to be going around thinking that I'll sleep with anyone."

Nathan felt his face start to flush from anger, but he held back, staring at his half brother.

"Get out" he spat, through gritted teeth.

"Technically, this is my house too." Lucas smirked " I mean, it's only fair that if we have the same dad, we have the same house."

"You have a brother?" Sara asked from outside, which was met by a scowl from Nathan.

"Aww Nate, I guess you really are ashamed of me." Lucas grinned. "Does anyone know I exist? Well, apart from Brooke, because she _definitely _knows I exist." he raised his eyebrows at Nathan, quite enjoying the moment.

One more scowl from Nathan, and then Lucas started to get dressed, his hair slightly messy from his encounter with Brooke, smirk present on his face the entire time.

He passed Nathan once more on the landing. "Hey Nate" Lucas called back over his shoulder. "I was prepared to play it straight ya know….." He waited for some kind of reaction from his brother, but upon receiving nothing, Lucas continued "But now I guess I'll have to play dirty."

And with that, he shut the door behind him, leaving an incensed Nathan staring at the window, watching him walk away. That wouldn't be it.

----

_please review _


	5. Play Dirty

**Author- **Emily-Grace Mendes (Brookebynature)

**Disclaimer- **I own none of the characters, only this story.

**A/N- **Sorry it's taken such a while to update, but here we are, so with a huge thankyou to you reviewers, and without further ado, here's the fourth chapter. please review xxx

**Play The Game**

Play Dirty

She could feel him staring at her from his locker, hiding behind whatever book he was holding. She was surprised he was even holding a book, it might not have gone with his image. Yet still he was, but she wasn't going to talk to him. That would make it look like she liked him, and he couldn't think that. Neither could anyone else, including herself.

"So you're just going to ignore me then?" His warm breath was against her neck, giving her that familiar tingling feeling, as if her skin might melt away.

She shrugged, trying to remove the dimpled smile form her face, the smile that he couldn't see.

"What do you want me to say to you?"

Lucas let a smile play along his lips as he watched Brooke's fingers grip her pink folder tighter.

"Maybe how good I was the other night…." He waited for some kind of reaction, but received nothing, so continued. "Maybe you'll answer my question?"

"And what question would that be?" Her eyes met his this time, and that was when she realised he was going to be serious. He didn't seem to have that smirk on his face which she had begun to think was a permanent fixture.

"Do you wanna go out sometime, as in……tonight?"

"So you're not playing hard to get any more?"

"Babe" Lucas rolled his eyes at her "I think that was you."

The bell chose to ring at that exact moment, giving Brooke two options. She could either give him an answer there and then, or she could walk away, keeping him guessing. She chose the latter.

"Still playing huh?" Lucas called to her down the hallway as he shrugged to himself. He didn't need to wait for her, there were other girls that wanted him just as much, if not more than Brooke did. Lucas Scott didn't wait for anyone.

----

She sat there, all the way through fourth period chewing her pen so much that her mouth had actually started to ache. Still, deliberating about whether or not to go out with Lucas that night was more important than learning about the French Revolution. Brooke had no interest in that.

He ignored her last period, sitting there in her desk, only inches away from him, close enough to hear him breathing, just as he was with her. And it was becoming increasingly hard for her not to talk to him, especially when she looked at the clock and saw there was another half an hour left of the lesson.

Lucky she'd carpooled with Peyton that morning, otherwise her shoes may have gotten wet, due to the light drizzle that was falling outside. Her car was still in the garage, the mechanic had told her that it needed a new filter pump, whatever the hell that was.

When the bell finally rung, signalling the end of school, Lucas got up from his desk without so much as a second glance back towards the brunette, who was now beginning to really regret her decision to walk away. She had no idea why she couldn't have just told him that she'd be ready for him to pick her up at seven, but it seemed impossible for the words to leave her mouth. Still, he'd told her that he knew they'd be in bed together again, and Brooke didn't doubt that.

It was just that this time, she felt a little different. A little self-conscious even. She knew she liked him.

----

Brooke lay on her bed, a book in her hands, some novel they'd been given to read as an English homework assignment. But she couldn't read. She kept thinking that she should be with Lucas right now, doing….well….him.

Her shoes were by the door, practically begging her to put them on. She could just go visit him at home, they didn't have to go out. It would be a casual visit. But Brooke didn't do casual.

Still, she walked the short distance to his home, the one with the huge driveway, the one which oozed money, status. The one home in Tree Hill that was better than hers.

Brooke knocked, but there was no answer, still, spying his car by the basketball net, she tried the handle, making her way inside when she found it wasn't locked.

"Is anyone home?" she called, her raspy voice filling the otherwise silent house.

Had there been an answer, Brooke might have continued a little cautiously, perhaps in fear of meeting someone she didn't know how to act around. _No that was stupid. Brooke Davis knew exactly how to act around everyone._

Still, since there was no answer, Brooke took it as her cue to enter without hesitation, making sure to take in the details of Lucas' house as she made her way through. She noted the hard wood floors and the duckegg blue walls, accompanied by many hi-tech gadgets she would have no idea how to work. Things like that didn't interest Brooke, the only things she needed to know how to work were her car, cell phone and most importantly, her body.

Upon hearing what seemed to be voices upstairs, Brooke turned her attentions to the landing, and the giant staircase leading up to it. The more time she spent in this house, the more jealous she became. It wasn't like she was poor, but Brooke had always been known to have the most money in Tree Hill. Here, money equalled power, and when Brooke had power, she knew she could do anything. Now here was Lucas with his bigger house and more expensive car. She knew it was only a matter of time before he took over her status. After all, he'd been here a few days, and he'd already conquered Nathan.

----

"Lucas are you…oh my God!" Brooke shut that door as fast as she could, racing downstairs before he could catch up with her.

A sweaty and breathless Peyton lay in Lucas' bed as he pulled on some jeans over his naked body, a body that Brooke would have been very glad to find undressed had it not been on top of her best friend.

"Brooke wait up!"

He didn't expect her to shout 'go to Hell' like she had, but then again, Brooke Davis was unpredictable. Lucas debated going after her, to find out why she seemed to be so upset. But he decided against it.

He couldn't possibly be seen as the nice guy. He had to get revenge on Nathan for the other night. Peyton could help him achieve that.

_He had to play dirty. _


	6. Play To Your Strengths

**Author- **Emily-Grace Mendes (brookebynature)

**Disclaimer- **I don't own the characters or the show, only this story

**A/N- **A HUGE thankyou to al of you guys that reviewed, and I'm so sorry for taking so long to update, but I wanted to make this chapter both longer, and more eventful. Oh, and to those of you who are in doubt, I'm a HUGE Brucas fan, so I wouldn't have this story any other way. Hope you enjoy, and please review xxx

**Play The Game **

Play To Your Strengths

She made sure she got there first that morning, she _had _to have that parking space. Her hair was styled to perfection, and that new pair of Gina shoes were keeping her feet cosy underneath her jeans. If Lucas Scott thought Peyton was better than her, she had to show him what he was missing.

Brooke had a plan.

"Hey Nathan!" she caught his attention as he was high-fiving some member of the basketball team she'd made out with once.

"So that party was…." she searched for a word to describe what exactly had happened. _Shit _was the one which came to mind. "Eventful" was the one which left her mouth.

"Yeah and thanks to your little invitation to that loser, I ended up missing out on….." he trailed off, realising that Brooke and Peyton were best friends, and it probably wasn't the best idea to advertise the fact that he was about to have sex with another girl.

She raised her manicured eyebrows at him. "You ended up missing out on what?"

He shrugged, she'd find out anyway. "On sex with that hot girl I was dancing with."

Brooke rolled her eyes at him. "I really don't care who you have sex with Nate." she told him, a smirk crossing her face.

"So I guess you know about Lucas and Peyton."

She knew he didn't, and that's what made this even more fun.

"What the hell about _him_ and Peyton." He spat the word 'him' and Brooke noticed the anger in his eyes. This was perfect.

"They slept together. I thought you knew?"

The smirk grew when she watched him walk away, just as Lucas pulled up in his car, the same car that he wouldn't be able to park in her space. Even more perfect.

"Hey Brooke!" he called over to her, parking his car haphazardly on a small stretch of grass. She kept walking, the pain from her heels starting to kick in only minutes into the day.

Well, some things had to suck.

"Brooke the other night……"

"Look loser" Nathan cut in, I don't know what the hell you're doing here, but if you think you can sleep with my girl and gte away with it, think again."

"Except I don't think she is your girl, little Brother." Lucas smirked. "She sure as hell didn't seem like your girl the other night. At least, not when we she told me to fuck her."

He laughed a little as he saw the anger flash in Nathan's blue eyes, the only thing they had in common other than their father.

Brooke found herself frowning as Nathan seemed to have met his match in his brother, as had she.

"I see you got that parking space" Lucas shouted to Brooke, who just rolled her eyes and continued walking to where the rest of the cheerleading squad were gossiping about the latest pregnancy scare, or who was cheating on who.

"It's my space." she muttered to herself, trying to ignore Lucas, while also trying not to care what he had done with Peyton.

She failed at both.

"So I'll meet you here after school babe?" He shouted, taking in her sassy walk, and the way the rest of the cheerleaders smiled when she greeted them with a 'hi bitches'

"Look Lucas" She turned around, frustratedly moving a stand of hair away from her eyes. "I don't need to meet you after school, because in case your idiot brain hasn't registered this fact, my car is fixed. Okay? So I don't need a ride, and I don't need you to watch me talk to my friends, and I sure as hell don't need you to call me babe."

He smiled a little, undeterred as she turned her back to him once more after catching Nathan's eye, where he gave her a small smirk, one of appreciation, and of admiration, with, perhaps…..a little lust thrown in there too?

_No no, he didn't like Brooke like that. Did he?_

----

"So was he good?" Brooke asked, throwing her gym stuff down beside Peyton's.

"What do you mean?" She asked, a little surprised if anything, that Brooke was even asking. Normally, she'd have been more concerned with her own love life.

"You know, did he do the whole kissing his way down to your stomach part? Making you arch your back up so it actually hurts a little the next day, which, in your case, would be today?"

She cocked her left eyebrow a little, a smirk appearing on her face, her hazel eyes narrowing slightly as she waited for the blonde's reaction.

"Look Brooke, if you're pissed at me…."

"Why would I be?"

"I just thought that maybe since you'd slept with him on….."

"I'm going to stop you there Peyton." Brooke told her, holding her own hand out in front of her face to stop the other girl from talking. "For the record, I didn't _sleep_ with him."

"But you did have sex."

"Yeah we did. And I've had sex with other guys. What makes this different?"

Peyton shrugged, unprepared for her question. "Nothing I guess."

"So can we get on with watching these basketball tryouts now? I wanna see what the new hotties are made of."

She left Peyton standing there, just watching her walk into the centre of the court to stretch in full view of the players. Her usual move.

And then she saw him. _Lucas. _He was trying out for the team.

----

"So you're a cheerleader" He said, pausing only a second to look her up and down, before shooting a free throw.

"You're quite the genius there Lucas." Nathan said, grabbing the ball from the back wall to run a lay-up. He then turned his attention back to his older brother, the one who was now shooting the rest of the cheerleaders 'looks', much to Nathan's disgust. He was usually the one who did that.

"And for future reference, I don't think my girl wants to talk to you." He warned, placing his arm around Peyton's shoulders.

"You thought wrong." Peyton replied, removing his arm before taking a step closer to Lucas.

Brooke watched from her position in the middle of the court, which, unusually for this particular time in high school, was uncrowded, with the majority of people at the end of the court where Nathan, Lucas and Peyton stood.

"Unless I'm mistaken, this is basketball tryouts, not speed dating!" The basketball coach shouted. "For those of you who are new, I'm Coach Whitey Durham. Learn it. Now get!"

He pointed to one end of the court for the guys, who reluctantly took their places in a circle huddled around Whitey, still doing their best to steal glances at the cheerleaders down the other end of the court.

"You're trying out for the team now?" Nathan said, rubbing the back of his neck roughly as his brother shot him pleased look.

"Just like Coach said, this isn't speed dating little brother." Lucas smirked, winking at Nathan.

"Well you've already had your fair share of that." He muttered, hoping Lucas' comment about him being his 'little brother' would be ignored. It wasn't.

"Little brother?" Whitey asked in amusement as he watched his shooting guard squirm under the powerful glare of Lucas.

"That's right." Lucas smiled. "Scott, Scott." He winked once more at Nathan before extending his hand. "Lucas."

"Well well" Whitey stifled a laugh. "Lets see what you got. Scott"

Lucas turned from his position in the circle to shoot the ball effortlessly through the hoop, winking over at the cheerleaders who spouted into a round of applause.

----

She was fully aware of his eyes on her body during most of their practise, but still Brooke couldn't bring herself to turn around and look at him. That would mean he'd won. And Brooke didn't loose.

And then she saw him wink at Peyton, who reciprocated with a small wave and a grin, before giving her a small shrug while trying to disguise her smile. Brooke wasn't sure if Lucas was just doing it to piss her off, or whether he actually liked her. Still, Peyton didn't seem too bothered either way as she begun stretching in full view of Lucas, making sure to give him a good view as she bent over.

Brooke bit her lip as she fought the urge to scream _'bitch' _out loud. That was _her _move.

----

"I can't believe Whitey gave him a place on the team." Nathan spat as he poured a drink for himself, passing the bottle to Brooke as he took a sip.

"I can't believe she stole my move."

"Who?"

"Your girlfriend. Or sex buddy. Whatever you guys are these days." Brooke waved it away, downing her vodka in one fell swoop.

"Peyton? Who would she want to use your move on?"

"I'll give you one guess."

Nathan narrowed his eyes as he looked at Brooke to make sure whether she was serious.

"This isn't the time to piss about Brooke."

"I'm not pissing about, she totally used my move on that loser."

Brooke found herself a little happier after telling Nathan, at least there would be someone else who was pissed at Peyton. If she thought she could get away with stealing the guy Brooke wanted, she had to show her.

"You're not mad at her are you?" Brooke enquired, pouring another drink which barely touched the sides of the glass before she let it wash down her throat, savouring the burning feeling. "I mean, you kinda were going to cheat on her and…."

"What? You mean, kinda like how you can't be mad at Lucas cos you turned him down and everything."

"Don't bring that into it, I just thought you should know about Peyton, ya know, for future reference."

"What do you want Brooke?" Nathan asked "She's supposed to be your best friend."

She shrugged. Actually, she didn't really know what she wanted. She just didn't want Peyton and Lucas to get together.

"I just……"

"And since when did you think that Lucas was a loser?"

"Since I found him in bed with your girlfriend….or sex buddy. Again, I don't exactly know what your relationship status is so…."

She trailed off as she saw Nathan slam his glass onto the counter, and followed his gaze to the door, instantly understanding why he looked so pissed.

They were here. Together. And she didn't seem to care that Nathan or Brooke could see, because, as far as she was concerned, this was payback.


	7. Play On Other's Weaknesses

**Author- **Emily-Grace Mendes (Brookbynature)

**Disclaimer- **I only own this story. Nothing else...

**A/N- **Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, as I've said before, I really appreciate them. This chapter's been a long time coming, but it's here now, so enjoy xxx

**

* * *

**

**Play The Game**

Play On Other's Weaknesses

"We're winning the Classic this year, I can just sense it!" Brooke squealed as she watched her friend Bevin complete the sequence in perfect timing.

"Yeah but we're a cheerleader down and the classic's next month."

"And that's where this comes in" She raised her eyebrow as she flung a piece of paper in front of the blonde girl who looked a little confused to say the least.

"Team tryouts?"

"We need to find the best girl for the job"

"But it's today"

"So?" Brooke asked impatiently.

"So aren't people going to need more notice?"

"Bevin, this is a post on the squad, people kill for this. Wait fifteen more minutes and observe."

And sure enough, when those gymnasium doors were opened, a flood of girls entered, bringing with them bags and noise and the kind of enthusiasm Brooke loved.

----

"What the hell kind of idea was this?" Peyton muttered, sat behind her desk, ready to make 'cheer-cisions' Bring-It-On style.

Brooke sat, her hands covering her face in order to restrain herself from shouting obscenities at her best friend. _Former best friend._

"Smells like teen spirit" Nathan smirked, poking his head round the doors and winking at a very pissed looking Brooke.

She rolled her eyes and covered her face once again, taking sneak peaks at the girl who sat so rigidly next to her.

"So which new hottie is joining the squad? I quite fancy a new pair of legs" He chose this moment to flash Peyton a glare while she narrowed her eyes at him, her fists clenched out of sight.

"There'll be no 'new hottie'" Brooke air quoted as she sat a little straighter, a little brighter in her chair "Unless we actually get somebody with talent _and _looks."

"Um….is this….never mind" Nathan snapped up to catch a glimpse of the brunette scurrying back out of the gymnasium.

"Wait" he called

"Can I help you?" Brooke eyes the girl her own age up and down, taking in the messy hair, the mismatch clothes and books in her arms.

"I um….I'm trying to find the tutoring centre."

"You hardly look like you need a tutor" Peyton snarled, a malicious giggle escaping her lips. "More like fashion helpline"

"Shut up Peyton" Nathan said quickly. "What's your name?"

"I…..Um…"

"Your name?" Brooke urged, hand gesturing wildly.

"Haley."

"You like cheerleading?"

"I've never really….."

"You've always wanted to be one right?" Brooke answered quickly for her, flashing a fake smile until a real one curved her mouth, displaying two little dimples either side as she looked between Nathan and this new girl, who as Peyton had quite rightly stated, was in desperate need of a fashion helpline. Still, with the right person on hand…..

"Not everyone has the same shallow ambitions as you Brooke" Peyton cut in.

The head cheerleader rolled her eyes once again and shrugged at Haley. "She's just pissed cos I slept with him." She pointed to Nathan who stood a little to the right of the door.

"Um…all I really want is to find the tutoring centre"

"How about you show us some moves" Brooke instructed. "You can drop your stuff down over there."

"It's pretty obvious she can't move well Brooke" Peyton smirked "look at her."

"Splits count?" Haley asked, surprising everyone.

"Splits count."

----

"Just because she can do the splits does not mean we can just let her on the squad Brooke." Peyton huffed, inspecting her chipped black nail polish that she made a mental reminder to have repainted.

"None of the others could splits."

"There was that girl, Izzy? Lizzie?"

"Lottie" Brooke answered. "she looked like a drag queen."

"I think she _was _a drag queen." Nathan added. "I bet you fifty bucks there's balls under that skirt."

"Besides" Peyton continued "Did you see what she was wearing?"

"So she looked a little book-ish" Brooke started. "She had a pretty good rack under that poncho."

"And her ass looked fine in those pants"

"Is your mission this year to sleep with _everyone_ on the squad, or just the sluts?" Peyton snapped, glaring at the guy she used to call her boyfriend.

"Well he started off with you so I guess the latter." Brooke replied, pushing herself between Nathan and Peyton so that her boobs were touching Nathan's chest.

"What do you say Nate? Is Haley in or out?"

"In"

"In it is" She smiled, winking at the guy who seemed to be now more interested in watching her boobs jiggle a little with each backwards step she took.

"You can't just make decisions like that without consulting everyone!" Peyton exclaimed.

Brooke spun around and moved a little closer to the blonde girl next to her, turning her head so that her lips were almost touching Peyton's ear. "I consulted everyone that mattered."

----

She spied the quiet girl over in the corner of the cafeteria, head down, pencil in her hand, writing something that Brooke could only describe as 'looking boring' Then again, Brooke didn't pay much attention in English class, so maybe she'd know some more adjectives other than boring.

"You know, you're going to have to move tables" she sat down in the empty chair next to a startled-looking Haley. "Cheerleaders sit in the centre."

"Oh…well I'm not joining the team so…"

"Too late" Brooke cut in. "I already ordered your uniform, and my dad provides the budget for these kind of things." She lowered her voice a little as she inched closer. "And he gets kinda pissed if people waste it."

"But..."

"Great" She snapped up, a fake smile plastered across her face as she handed out a purple flyer. "Here's the address for a party tomorrow night. Wear something that shows lots of leg."

Haley watched in bewilderment as Brooke sashayed away, pausing only for a few seconds to laugh at something some guy from the soccer team showed her before she joined the rest of the cheerleaders at their lunch table in the centre of the cafeteria, just like she had pointed out earlier.

----

"Looking good babe" Brooke heard a voice say, and she knew damn well who it belonged to.

"That line's getting old you know Lucas."

"It worked on you the last time." he smirked. "And besides, I meant your friend."

Brooke felt her cheeks begin to flush as she looked at the girl stood next to her, an awkward smile forced across her face as she stood uncomfortably in a jeans skirt, the only thing she could find that showed a lot of leg, just as Brooke had instructed.

"Lucas this is Haley, Haley, this is the guy version of Peyton."

He chuckled a little. "Original."

Brooke raised an eyebrow and pointed to the makeshift bar visible through the archway to the kitchen.

"Drink?"

"I'd love one." Lucas replied "Lead the way."

"I meant _Haley_ man-whore."

Haley felt herself being pulled tin the direction of the kitchen, whether she wanted to go or not.

"So what was that between you and Lucas?" She asked.

"Nothing" Brooke muttered, downing a shot of tequila before pouring another one for herself, and Haley's first.

"I don't drink."

"Would you prefer vodka? I think they only have the cheap crap though so…"

"No" Haley cut in. "I mean I don't drink _any _alcohol."

"Why?"

"I don't see the point."

"It makes you forget things." Brooke told her, swallowing the burning liquid "loose control."

"Exactly. What's the point?"

----

Brooke was on what Haley guessed was the 'dance floor' the next time she saw her, grinding up against Nathan who looked even more drunk than Brooke was.

She felt his hot breath on her neck, making the hairs stand up on end, her eyes shutting as she slung an arm over his shoulder, bringing them even closer together as the air grew stickier, staler.

Brooke shot a glare in Peyton's direction as she turned to look at the two of them, barely letting out even breaths as the alcohol mixed with fatigue. And then she saw Lucas put his arms around her waist from behind, and he met her glare with an evil smirk, one that incensed Brooke to the point of needing to smash something.

He'd found her weakness, just as she'd found Peyton's. And as Nathan watched Brooke walk away, he sensed Haley's vulnerability, standing near the corner of the room, away from the chain smoking and the alcohol-fuelled hook-ups.

But she hadn't seen him watching her, instead, she followed Lucas' gaze to the window, where she could see Brooke storming down the street, the lights providing a small sense of security. And she'd found Lucas' weakness: Brooke.

* * *

Please review xxx


	8. Play For Fun

**Author- **Emily-Grace Mendes (Brookebynature)

**Disclaimer- **I own none of the characters or the show. So now you can'r sue. Ha!

**A/N- **Okay, so I wrote this with a hangover, so I appologise if there are any spelling mistakes, but I have checked it over. It's my favourite chapter of this story so far, so I hope you'll enjoy too.

Oh, and thank you so much to you reviewers. Keep them coming guys!

**

* * *

**

**Play The Game**

Play For Fun

"What's this?" Brooke asked as Nathan handed her a white envelope with her name scrawled in black biro on the front.

"Invitation to a poker party at mine."

"Why the formal invites?"

Nathan shrugged. "Thought I'd make an impression on that new cheerleader of yours. She seems to like formal."

"And you seem to like her" Brooke smirked.

He walked away, handing out a few invitations to other guys on the basketball team before he called back "Just for fun."

----

"So are you up for a party at UNC tonight?" Peyton asked Lucas as she backed against the locker next to his, twirling a strand of curly blonde hair between her fingers.

"He's got plans." Nathan cut in, slapping a white envelope against Lucas' chest. "And so have you."

"What's this?"

"Poker party. Tonight. My house" Nathan answered before walking away, a high five here and there, winking at a few girls, until Peyton could no longer see him in the crowd.

"Great!" Brooke clapped her hands together in fake enthusiasm. "Now we've got man-whore and ….just regular whore coming, it's a party!" She rolled her eyes before walking away. "I can't wait."

Lucas smirked as he watched the brunette walking down the hallway, running a hand through his hair as he too, made his way to the next class- the only one he shared with Brooke other than history, and besides, the last time they'd had that class together, she'd spent her time chewing on her pen rather than conversing with him. And Lucas couldn't understand that. He had plenty of things he wanted to say to her.

----

"This is a scientific experiment so no joking about" the teacher warned as the class begun to talk loudly with excitement. They were to be paired up and each pair was to be given a doll with human-like features. It cried, it needed feeding, and it needed it's diaper changing. In other words, they were all going to be 'parents' as the teacher put it, for a week.

"You are all to be assigned a partner, and those of you who think a crying baby is an excuse to either be late or miss class, you'll be in detention every night for the following month if that happens."

A loud chorus of groans and exchanging of looks went up throughout the classroom, boyfriends and girlfriends looking at each other uneasily, trying to decide whether it would be better that they were paired together, or paired with someone else.

"And no switching partners." the teacher added before reaching for her list to recite the pairings to the class.

"Peyton Sawyer and Tim Smith"

Both Brooke and Nathan tried to hide their laughter as Peyton's expression went from a smug smile, to that of horror.

"Daddy Tim's in da house!" He shouted, before collecting the already crying doll from the front desk. "We can name him T.J"

Peyton rolled her eyes at the boy next to her. "Great."

The teacher begun reading from the list again. "Nathan Scott and Haley James."

Brooke wasn't sure whether she was happy about this, or pissed. Either way, she saw a small smile creep across Nathan's face as he glanced over at the shy girl across the classroom, already biting her nails before she stepped forward to 'claim their child.'

And Brooke's heart begun to beat way too fast as there were only a few people left without partners, Lucas being one of them.

"Ah, we're in luck. Our new arrival Lucas makes the numbers even. Lucas, you'll be paired with Brooke Davis. Have fun."

That's what she'd been afraid of, and of course, this was Brooke's life, so naturally, it had to go wrong. The crying of the dolls seemed to fade from her ears as all she could see was Lucas' smirk, as he lifted up the doll, supporting it's head so that it stopped crying.

"Aww, this is going to be an easy task for you fag." Nathan shouted, which was met by a chorus of laughing from most of the class, apart from Brooke, who was trying to decide what to say to Lucas first.

"So." He leaned in to Brooke as the rest of the class focused their attentions on the brood of crying dolls, a noise which, now that Brooke was fully tuned in, was beginning to hurt her ears. "How does it feel to be a Mommy?"

"Screw you." she shot back, snatching the doll from him which instantly begun crying.

"I would babe." He started "But you've already done it for me."

----

"We have a boy" Haley tried to joke, but her voice came out a little shaky, especially when she saw Peyton staring at her with a very pissed expression on her face.

"I guess we should name him then." Nathan smiled.

"You can pick." Haley told him. She didn't want to do anything that might piss him, or anyone else he hung out with off. This was her first week, and already she'd joined the cheerleading squad. Granted, she hadn't meant to, and she didn't even want to, but Nathan and Brooke seemed to own this school. She wasn't going to argue with them.

"We'll both pick."

"Well now that we're the proud parents of a little girl, as they say." Lucas begun "Don't you think we should name her?"

"Whatever. Just don't name her Peyton." Brooke snapped. "I hate that name."

Lucas grinned as he watched Brooke try and hold the doll's head in the same way he had done. In the end, she gave up, practically throwing it at him.

"How about Katie?"

"No. That reminds me of my Mom and I'd rather not…." She trailed off, not wanting to divulge any more information to someone she knew damn well she couldn't trust. Besides, everyone was entitled to their privacy.

"We'll name her Tori."

"Okay, Tori Scott."

"What the hell makes you think I'd give her your name?"

"It's a doll Brooke." Lucas chuckled.

"Her name's Tori Davis. It's very 21st Century, end of discussion." A small smile spread over Brooke's face as the doll finally stopped crying, but she quickly hid when she realised Lucas was staring at her.

"Whatever you want babe."

"And can you stop calling me babe? It's getting kinda irritating."

----

"What about your poker thing tonight man?" Tim asked Nathan. "You calling it off?"

"Nah." he shrugged. "There's never an excuse not to have a party. Besides…I have it all planned."

"Cool, I'll see ya."

"Damn this piece of plastic." Brooke threw the doll down onto the lunch table, receiving confused looks from the rest of the cheerleaders who weren't part of her class.

"Since when did you have to look after a doll?" Bevin asked, highly amused at the whole situation.

"Since biology lessons constituted being a 'parent' to a lump of screaming plastic." Brooke muttered, stealing a handful of fries off Bevin's plate when she wasn't looking.

She noted Haley at the end of the dinner queue, struggling to hold her 'child' while carrying her lunch tray. She almost passed the table when Brooke called out for her to sit down. After all, this was where she should sit from now on.

The only slightly amusing entertainment for the day was when Tim knocked 'T.J' onto the floor and then accidentally stood on him, making the thing cry louder than the rest of the dolls put together.

----

Everyone was at Nathan's by the time Brooke arrived with Tori, crying mainly because she was being held upside down and Brooke hadn't realised. She was more concerned with lugging the bag full of vodka into the house.

"A responsible parent doesn't drink." Peyton shot at Brooke, along with an icy glare that both Nathan and Lucas saw. She knew full well that Brooke was trying to get back at her for the whole Lucas thing, even though she said she didn't like him all that much, but it wasn't her fault they'd slept together. After all, Brooke had slept with Nathan, and anyway, she liked Lucas just as much as Brooke did. _Didn't she?_

"I never said I was responsible." Brooke smirked and raised her eyebrow. Man was this night going to be good.

The dolls had mostly been abandoned after only an hour, as the crowd realised poker wasn't going to be any fun with them crying all the time. Besides, the alcohol was flowing and most were too drunk to care.

"The rules" Nathan begun "Are as follows."

The rest of the teens looked at him expectantly, a small smile crossing Brooke's face as he kept them in suspense. She knew all too well what he was about to say.

"Each time you loose, you remove an item of clothing."

The guys mainly cheered as they realised the girls they liked, or were dating were about to remove what little clothes they were already wearing, revealing skimpy underwear to expectant eyes.

The girls however, were less than happy, silently telling themselves they should have known Nathan to host a strip poker night, rather than just regular poker. Brooke meanwhile, was grateful that she had that wax the other day, meaning that she could show Lucas exactly what he was missing.

Nathan winked at Brooke before stealing a glance at a very _very _worried-looking Haley. "Play the game."

----

A few more vodka's later, and the girls were all too eager to remove their clothes, throwing favourite shirts and brand new skirts into a huge pile of colour on the hardwood floor. The guys too, had had their fair share of beer, and cheered loudly every time one of the girls had to remove something, the loudest of all cheers coming when Brooke was reduced to her red bra and matching panties.

Lucky for Haley, she knew _exactly _how to play poker, more so than Nathan, who was impressed that she'd managed to keep all of her clothes on, even though he kind-of wanted to see what was underneath them.

"I slipped a little vodka into her drink." Brooke told Nathan while they were taking a break.

"Who's drink?"

"You know damn well who I mean." She raised her eyebrows at him. "Haley"

"Why?"

"So that you'd have a chance with her."

"I thought you wanted me." He smirked, pouring himself another beer from the keg.

"I wanted you to help me make that skank jealous." she replied, taking a large gulp from her glass as she looked over at Peyton laughing with Bevin and the rest of the squad.

"Whatever. Just…." Nathan trailed off, as he watched Haley stumble to the bathroom.

"What?"

"Just leave her out of it."

----

"New rules." Nathan informed the group as they all resumed their places at the table with new drinks and all of their clothes. "Once you loose your clothes, the next time you loose a game, the winner gets a kiss."

"Kinky" Brooke giggled. "This night just got so much better."

Haley looked uneasily at the rest of the crowd who seemed so up for the challenge, so confident about what could potentially unfold.

Brooke made sure to loose her games to Nathan, each time resulting in a kiss that she deepened, a smug smile on her face as they drew back for air, Brooke knowing that Peyton would be watching the entire time.

But she too, had lost her game, but to Lucas, who was only too happy to reciprocate the kiss, but when he caught Brooke's eye as he pulled away, a small stab of something ran through him. Brushing it off, he took a swig of beer, forcing a smile at the blonde across the table, who looked pleased to have gotten to beat Brooke at her own game, at least, for now.

After a very tipsy Bevin left with some guy off the team, Haley excused herself, saying that it was time for her to leave, taking the plastic doll that her and Nathan had named Tristan, with her.

Prior to Nathan's party, Lucas had agreed to keep Tori for the night, much to Brooke's pleasure. Her plan had worked perfectly.

She kissed him, hard, just when he was about to look at Peyton, and after Brooke opened one eye to see her closing the door behind her, leaving only herself and Nathan, she took full advantage of the empty house and plush bedrooms.

They had sex, quickly and without passion, but it was enough to get Brooke through the night, removing the image of Lucas and Peyton kissing practically naked across the table from her head.

It was comforting, knowing she could fall asleep in his arms, even though she would expect nothing less than for him to move to another bed when she wouldn't feel the bed shift. Still, it was the nights when she thought the most about Lucas, planning what to do next in her head, and even if Nathan was just a distraction, which she knew fine well he was, he was still a cute one. And, Peyton still liked him, Brooke knew that.

This was all just payback, she figured. A game. And Brooke played for fun.

* * *

Review please guys xxx


	9. Play For Real

**Author- **Emily-Grace Mendes (Brookebynature)

**Disclaimer- **I don't own One Tree Hill, I don't own the characters, but I do own this story. So yay for me.

**A/N- **I know this has been a rediculously long time coming, but I've finally completed this chapter after much deliberation over what should happen. So a huge thank you for your reviews and without further ado, here's the next chater. Enjoy xxx

**

* * *

**

**Play The Game**

Play For Real

Normally she would have asked Peyton to buy the test, to be the one that hid under the large hoody with the dark sunglasses, but she wasn't speaking to Peyton so….well…she had to do it herself.

"Anything else?" the cashier asked as Brooke placed the test on the counter.

"I'd say condoms but it's probably too late now right?" She tried to joke. She wasn't sure what Peyton said in these situations, she'd normally be hiding out in her car or ducking behind a shelf reading the ingredients list of something like petroleum jelly.

Brooke always thought it was kinda expensive just to find out whether you were pregnant or not. The past two times she'd contemplated just waiting to see whether she started getting fatter, rather than charging the $10.95 to her father's bank account. But she'd given in eventually, persuading Peyton to buy the test from the only drug store in Tree Hill, so naturally, you were bound to see someone you knew.

----

She wasted no time in reading the instructions, she'd done two of these before, each having the same relieving answer. Brooke wasn't quite sure why people called it the longest two minutes of their lives, because in those two minutes, she'd been able to figure out what she would wear to the weekend's upcoming party, and more importantly, what her next plan of action was in the whole Lucas/ Peyton scenario.

"What?" she shrieked when she did finally look at the white stick resting on the bathroom counter. Scrambling for the box, she re-read the instructions to make sure that the meanings of the colours hadn't changed. Sure enough, the blue line did in fact mean that Brooke was pregnant.

----

"I need to talk to you Nathan." Brooke cut icily past Haley who seemed to be having trouble with her 'child.' Right now, she couldn't care about the damn crying lump of plastic, she had more real things to think about.

"I was kinda in the middle of something there." He told her, diverting his eyes to Haley, then quickly back to Brooke again.

"Yeah well you're gonna be in the middle of something worse in a minute." She shot back.

"Jesus Brooke you hormonal or something?"

The bell rung, signalling the beginning of school, much to Nathan's relief. He had no idea what was wrong with her, but guessed something had seriously screwed her up somewhere along to road to adolescence.

"You have no idea how ironic that is" she mumbled, marching off in the direction of her first class, which fittingly enough, was biology, where the teacher would check up on how they were all doing as parents.

Brooke hadn't seen Lucas since the previous night's poker party, and when she had woken up, Nathan was already gone, leaving her without her car, and without a way home that night. So obviously, that was a _perfect _situation to be in.

----

He was grinning at her when she walked in through the door, late only because she'd needed to throw up, and being at school meant that she could only make herself sick when everyone else had gone to class and wouldn't be listening to the sounds of her retching in the cubicle.

"Late." He muttered sarcastically, practically thrusting the doll at her before she could even sit down.

Brooke simply raised an eyebrow. "In more ways than one."

Lucas didn't twig however, and Brooke was a little disappointed. She didn't want to have to tell him straight out that she may be pregnant with his child. Perhaps she could let him find out in a less obvious way.

"So how are you all doing as parents?" The teacher asked, awaiting her student's response. There was the usual exchanging of looks between those who had argued over their projects, and also between those who were doing exceptionally well, hoping one day that they would be in this situation for real.

Out of the corner of her eye, Brooke could see Peyton burying her head in her hands after Tim's shouts of "daddy Tim's a pro." Of course, she had no idea how good a parent Lucas was, and vice versa. Right now, she was trying to sush her own lump of plastic that Lucas had so carefully handed to her just minutes ago. A momentary smile crossed her lips as the thing finally ceased crying, and Lucas gave her a grateful wink.

It was then, that she felt something sharp in her chest, an aching of sorts as she held eye contact with him, but then it was over, just as quickly as it had happened when he looked away, and back at Nathan.

Brooke too, looked over in that direction, becoming increasingly pissed with both him and Haley- the girl who seemed to have his undivided attention most of the time. She was wearing her cheerleading uniform that Brooke had given her the other day, and with her hair curled lightly, she just fitted in perfectly with the other members of the squad. It was Brooke, that didn't quite match today, wearing the same clothes that she'd had on the previous night at Nathan's and her hair tied messily in a bun.

She could look good tonight at the basketball game. Unfortunately, it was Haley's first game, and she hadn't quite gotten the hang of the sequence they were due to perform in under eight hours.

----

"You have a further three days of this project left" the teacher stated, just as Peyton looked over in the direction of Lucas and Brooke, who was able to send her a cold stare before running her hand across Lucas' jeans.

"Try to improve on your skills before then."

Class was dismissed almost immediately after that, and as Brooke watched Nathan walk away with Haley, and the rest of the class with their respective partners, she had no choice but to accompany Lucas to the gymnasium with their 'child' in tow.

"What're we doing?" She asked as he let his bag drop onto the floor.

"I thought I'd shoot some hoops."

"Great." Brooke muttered as she rolled her eyes. "And what am I supposed to do?"

"You followed me here." Lucas stated as he removed his shirt in front of Brooke, who simply raised a manicured eyebrow at his toned physique.

"Because as luck of the draw would have it, we're partners for this experiment." She replied, hoping that he's put a basketball jersey on soon, because it was becoming quite hard to concentrate when his bare chest was right in front of her eyes. "So that means we should do it together."

"Brooke Davis actually cares about this assignment." Lucas smirked as he finally covered his chest, looking down at the doll in her arms.

"I care, because if we fail, I'm in detention for a hell of a lot longer than I'd ever consider amusing."

He looked at her for a minute without saying anything, perhaps taking in her moment of truth, perhaps just unsure of his own reply.

"Well then lets do this together."

"Do what?" she asked, glancing at the doll in her arms which thankfully seemed to be sleeping.

"Play basketball."

"I'm not dressed to play basketball Lucas." she told him. "And in case you haven't noticed, we're supposed to be looking after this."

"I have spare clothes."

"I'm not…."

"C'mon." He cut in, his eyes meeting hers as he felt that small stab of something run through him again, just like he had done at Nathan's last night. "We've got nothing else to do. Gym's empty, it'll just be us."

"Fine" she mumbled, feeling uneasy with his eyes on hers, and grabbing the clothes he held out for her, she made her way to a corner near the showers where he couldn't see her getting changed.

"Aww c'mon Brooke, you're killing the fun." He called out, removing his jeans to put on a pair of shorts. "It's nothing I haven't seen before."

She shot him a look when she emerged with his clothes covering her body. They were, of course, far too big, but in a way, she felt some security with the material covering her skin, his scent enveloping her as she made her way past him, holding the doll, as they went into the gym.

"What're we playing for?" She asked, curious to see whether he would make a bet like she expecting.

He paused in thought for a few seconds before replying. "We're playing for fun."

----

Time passed quickly, and soon the bell signalling next period rung. They hadn't kept score, and both of them knew Lucas had won, even if he had been playing badly to try and give her an advantage.

He saw her shivering as she handed him back his clothes, her own no match for the warmth she had just felt around her. Brooke was almost out of the door with the doll when Lucas called her back.

"Here" he said, holding out a grey hoody with some sort of writing on the back. "You look cold."

She took it, offering a grateful smile as she handed him the doll so she could pull the top over her head. "Thanks."

They shared the silence again, both looking at each other, unsure of what to say, although Brooke wanted to scream at him that she was pregnant.

"You o.k?" He asked, shaking her from her thoughts.

"Careful." She smiled a little. "People might start thinking that you're actually nice."

He chuckled lightly as she left the locker room, giving him a little wave as she turned the corner. Lucas was unsure as to when things had changed between them, and they'd grown semi-comfortable with each other.

----

"Why the hell am I doing this?" Haley spat as she peered into the tightly-packed gymnasium. She hadn't ever been to a basketball game before, so she was unsure of what to expect, but she sure as hell didn't imagine all these people would be watching her in a skirt that all of a sudden seemed to short, teamed with the little top that showed a lot of her stomach.

"You should think about getting a piercing." Brooke told her, eyeing her stomach. "Guys like that."

"Not all guys like you Brooke." Peyton shot, narrowing her eyes at the brunette who seemed a little too perky right now, at least, compared to what she'd been like back in first period.

"Name one." She replied, raising an eyebrow as she awaited Peyton's answer.

"Lucas."

"FYI, P Sawyer, Lucas and I spent the whole of first period playing basketball in that gym right there." She smirked, looking through the doors as she witnessed the look of doubt across her former best friend's face.

"What were you playing for?" She asked. "A bet? Money? Sex?"

Brooke smirked and shook her head. "We play for fun."

"Why the hell am I doing this?" Haley repeated again, pacing the girl's locker room as the gym only continued to house more people.

"Because it's fun." Bevin replied, grinning. "And you get guys."

"Looks like she's already got that part down." Peyton muttered as she saw Nathan nodding in their direction.

----

The game had proved a success, as had Brooke's new addition to the cheerleading squad, who hadn't put a step wrong throughout the cheers and sequences, much to Peyton's dismay.

Brooke was however, without a ride home, and could only hope that Nathan would be around to take her back to her house, or even, to his. He wasn't where she expected him to be however, and instead, Brooke spotted him chatting to Peyton, who kissed him goodbye before she left.

"What the hell was that?" Brooke asked, smacking him across the chest.

"What was that for?"

"Why were you talking to her?"

"Because she needs a lift home."

"Have you forgotten what she did?" Brooke spat.

"She did what we did Brooke."

"But she _cheated _on you. There's a difference."

"We're all the same Brooke." Nathan told her. "When are you going to realise that?"

"Except we're not the same."

"What do you mean?" His foot was tapping impatiently, and Brooke was now starting to really piss him off.

"I'm pregnant Nathan."

She waited for his reaction, for him to swear, and tell her how much this was going to ruin his life. And his reputation. A father at seventeen, and he knocked up Brooke Davis.

"You're screwed up Brooke." He replied coldly, walking out of the gym as if he didn't believe what she'd told him, as if he thought of her as a liar.

----

She had gotten just out of the parking lot wearing nothing but her cheerleading uniform and Lucas' grey hoody when he slowed down in the silver Mercedes she'd come to recognise since the first day she'd met him.

"Need a ride?" he asked as he drew alongside her shivering form. Brooke simply nodded, her eyes conveying the thanks she didn't need to say aloud.

"So where's my ass of a brother?" Lucas asked, curious as to why he hadn't given Brooke a ride home.

"Probably screwing my ass of an ex-best friend." She shot, her hands disappearing up the sleeves of Lucas top in a bid to keep them warm.

He nodded, not saying anything more, but instead, turned up the radio, realising that the silence would grow uncomfortable before long. He'd never had this problem with girls before, normally he slept with them and that was it. He occasionally dated for a couple weeks at the most, but always with the same outcome: he became bored and cheated with another girl, or made excuses and dumped them without warning.

And now he was beginning to be a little scared, not that he'd ever admit it, that he felt things when he looked at Brooke, or when he watched her perform the cheerleading sequences or walk down the corridor at school.

"So what happened between you and Nathan?" He asked ain a bid to keep the conversation flowing.

"A stupid plan." She told him, gazing out of the window as he turned into the road near her house.

Lucas didn't question her, but nodded instead. He pulled up outside of her driveway, the dark greeting her just like it did back at his own house.

"I'll be needing that." He gestured to his grey hoody she was wearing.

"But I'm still cold."

"Can't let people think that I'm really a nice guy can I?" He smirked as she handed it over.

And as she watched him drive away, entering her house greeted her like a slap across the face. It was dark and she was alone, and unfortunately, it was her turn to look after the doll tonight.

It wasn't fun any more, not now she was pregnant, and when it begun to cry, Brooke realised she was playing for real.

* * *

Please review xxx


	10. Play Dares

**Author- **Emily-Grace Mendes (Brookebynature)

**Disclaimer- **I only own this story, not the characters and sure as hell not the sure. If I did, things would be going a hell of a lot differently...

**A/N- **Sorry for the huge delay, I've been snowed under with stuff to do. I won't lie and say that it's homework cos it's not lol, but I've managed to complete this chapter today. Thank you all for the lovely reviews, hope you enjoy this chapter xxx

**

* * *

**

**Play The Game**

Play Dares

It had only been one night that Brooke had spent alone with her doll, aka Tori Davis, and she was now sure as hell that if she was going to have this baby, she was either going to have to strap Lucas (or Nathan, depending on who the thing looked more like) down so that they couldn't leave her. Or there was plan B, where she married some rich guy and could then afford to pay for a nanny to look after the child while she went to college keg parties and all that other fun stuff she'd be missing out on.

Either way, Brooke was positive she couldn't do it on her own.

----

"How's Tori this morning?" Lucas smirked as Brooke hastily parked her blue bug in the space beside where she had been used to parking before Lucas Scott decided to enter her life.

"On some sort of setting that involves driving me crazy" Brooke snapped, grabbing the doll around the neck in hope that it might have some sort of sensors around it's neck to locate the windpipe. If she could somehow kill it, then maybe she'd have some peace. That, or she'd be in detention for eternity.

Brooke thrust the doll at an unsuspecting Lucas, who was wearing the grey hoody that had kept her so toasty in his car after the game the previous night.

"Fancy another basketball game later on?" He asked, jiggling the doll around in a bid to hush it.

"No because I have more important things to attend to." She replied, grunting as she saw a very dishevelled-looking Peyton emerging from Nathan's car. "Great, now he's sleeping with that."

Lucas turned to look in the same direction Brooke was sending what he sensed were deathly looks at Peyton. "She's hardly a bad hook-up you know."

Instead of replying, Brooke made some sort of grunting noise that Lucas tried to decipher before walking off in the direction of the main building.

----

By the time Brooke had made her way to her locker, she had decided that ignoring Nathan wasn't the way to go about this. In fact, ignoring Peyton perhaps wasn't the best idea either.

She now had a plan. At least, a plan for the weekend. A plan for her future as a parent was a different story.

Attempting to take a history book from her locker, Brooke thoughts ran back to Lucas, and whether he had gotten the note she left in the pocket of his hoody. She knew it was the cowards way out to scrawl the words 'I'm pregnant' on a small piece of paper, but after Nathan's response, Brooke was unsure of how to tell Lucas. Still, she figured she'd find out more at the doctor's appointment this afternoon.

----

Lucas could tell she was thinking about things other than the French revolution during their history class as she bit her nails and inspected them, biting them again before turning her attentions to the small strand of hair she was twirling in her grasp.

Unable to stand his desire to know about the note he found in the pocket of his hoody last night, Lucas pulled it out, passing it over the small space between them, catching Brooke's eye as her shaking fingers took the small piece of paper.

He saw her raise her eyebrows and gulp before turning her head to him, in hope that he could say something to make her feel better, or at least, something to break the high tension that suddenly seemed to overwhelming.

"Are you?" He whispered, also turning his head to her, unaware of Peyton sat right behind them, able to read and hear every word that was exchanged.

She nodded, not guiltily, but unsurely, frightened even.

"But we didn't finish…."

"It can still happen." Brooke hissed. Why did everyone doubt her?

Okay so maybe the chances of the baby being Lucas' weren't very high, but she hadn't lied, because one biology lesson when she had, for some strange reason, been paying attention, that's what she'd found out. But right now, having him as the father of her child seemed a better prospect than Nathan, who was preoccupied by the new cheerleader and Peyton, who was fast taking over Brooke's own position of high school slut.

----

"Brooke's pregnant." Peyton told an eager cheerleading squad, who were practically bursting from the news of the latest gossip, another story in the long line that was their daily entertainment.

"It would explain the bitchiness" someone muttered.

"I don't believe you" Bevin argued. "Who's is it?"

"She doesn't know."

"Come on Peyton, she's not that much of a slut to not know who knocked her up."

"I can knock you up with my fist if I hear you talking about me." Brooke spat, fresh from throwing up in the toilets. It wasn't morning sickness she was experiencing-she was sure of that. But some things made her stomach churn, made her feel queasy, like history class, and biology class, and carting her stupid human-like doll around all day. It was a kind of relief to fell that burn when her fingers went down her throat, and she had to grab onto the toilet seat just to stay upright.

"You're not even going to deny it then?" Peyton smirked.

"As much as I'd like to stand here talking to you, _not, _we have a sequence to learn for the classic."Brooke replied, choosing to ignore Peyton's comment in hope that there would be another scandal, another secret splashed all over school to talk about.

"Who's the father Brooke?" Another girl asked, knowing that this was probably the biggest piece of gossip ever, and they all wanted to be the first that told their friends.

"Nathan." Peyton told them proudly, winking at a very pissed Brooke, who knew that no matter how much she denied it, or tried to ignore the questions, people weren't going to leave her alone.

Eyes were rolled and people muttered things like 'Nathan Scott?' in shock, yet some were hardly surprised.

"Or Lucas" Peyton added, a highly satisfied smirk playing across her face.

"His brother?"

"Nice going Brooke." Bevin exclaimed. "He's hot."

"I think we should just get on with the routine." Haley announced, offering an apologetic smile in Brooke's direction. "I mean, it's only a couple weeks until the classic and I really need to learn how to do a pyramid."

The crowd dispersed, content to wait until after practise to share their opinions and thank Peyton for telling them.

----

Lucas was waiting for her outside of the gym when she emerged, a good five minutes after everyone else, mascara streaks down her face and puffy eyes.

"You o.k?"

"Oh yeah I'm fine." She muttered sarcastically, rolling her eyes as she attempted to walk past him.

"Brooke." He held her arm, preventing her from walking away and ignoring him. "We should talk about…you know." He looked down at her stomach, unable to bring himself to say the word 'baby' All of a sudden it seemed too real, too much like the story of his own father seventeen years ago.

"What do you want me to say Lucas?" Her voice was raised now as she ran a hand through her hair, waving from being tied in a bun for practise. "How sorry I am for ruining your life? How stupid I am for getting us into this?"

"I'll be there Brooke." He told her, hushed, whispered, almost as if he were afraid that someone would hear him. "For you and…." he looked at her stomach again. "When it comes."

"Look at you Lucas." She cried. "You can't even say the word 'baby'. You're looking around to see if anyone's listening. I can do it myself."

"Don't Brooke." He held her tighter. "I want to be there for you….and the baby."

Her expression softened as he asked whether she'd seen the doctor yet.

"I have an appointment this afternoon."

"I'll come."

"No" She replied quickly. Brooke hadn't bargained on this response from Lucas, but she wasn't about to let him in right now. She had an idea of the games he could play, of what he could do to her and she wasn't taking that chance.

"I'll let you know." She promised, before he let her go in the direction of the parking lot, yet not until she'd handed him the doll, thankful to be able to have a night where she could sleep without having electronic-sounding crying in her ear.

----

"But the test said I was pregnant." Brooke argued with the doctor, who had just informed her that in fact, she wasn't pregnant.

"They can be wrong sometimes." He replied "We can do another test here, and I get perform an internal exam."

"You're telling me I pay $10.95 for a stupid white plastic stick to tell me the wrong information? I could go on Oprah and sue of for this kind of crap."

"Would you like another test Miss Davis?" The doctor asked, unsure of what to make of his patient's response.

"Well seeing as they don't always give you the God damn right answer what's the point?"

"I could give you an internal exam."

"What the hell is this?" Brooke spat. "I come here to find out some information, and then you people tell me I'm not even pregnant, and now you're wanting to shove some stick up….places that I don't even know about."

The doctor stared a little, wondering whether he should respond or just wait for her to finish shouting.

"Screw this."

Brooke was almost running out of his office and down the corridor, tears threatening to fall at any moment for the second time that day. Now what was she supposed to tell Lucas? And Nathan?

Now he would definitely think she was lying.

----

"Call me if you need anything." Lucas told Brooke over the phone. She hadn't anticipated lying to him, letting him believe that she was still pregnant, but somehow, she couldn't find the words to tell him that she wasn't actually pregnant, and that the test had been wrong.

"Bye Luke."

It was the first time she'd called him that, and it was one of the only times she'd spoken to him in a soft tone, unable to keep up the flirty raspy voice she almost always used.

Brooke figured that if Lucas now knew the truth, things would go back to how they were, and Peyton would be winning. At least if Lucas thought she was pregnant, he would be on her team.

----

She placed the last bottle of alcohol on the kitchen counter, a large array of various liquors making a colourful display against the black marble surface. Brooke had decided while having a shower, that a party was what she needed to forget the days events, and to show everyone that she wasn't going to hide away through all the rumours and stories that would no doubt be floating around school the next day.

A quick phone call to Bevin had sorted out the invites: word would get around fast, and not many people were one to miss a party thrown by Brooke herself. She had called Haley too, and after a quick thank you for earlier, instructed that as a cheerleader, it was her duty to attend social gatherings. After all, this was her life now.

"We should play dares!" Tim exclaimed after numerous beers and dancing. Brooke's house was now full with drunken teens, almost all forgetting about the fact that she was pregnant (or not, as the case now seemed to be.)

The dolls had all been left in a room with the door shut so that the cries were drowned out with loud music and talking. Within a few minutes, a crowd had assembled around the table, Lucas, Brooke Nathan, Haley and Peyton included, as Tim announced the rules of the game, stating that anyone who didn't comply with what they had been dared to do, had to down two shots in a row. Haley's nerves kicked in as she found herself being roped into something she really didn't want to do yet again, by Brooke, who for being pregnant, didn't seem bothered by consuming large amounts of alcohol.

"I dare Tim to jump off the balcony into the pool." Nathan stated, receiving high fives of a few other who were sat at the table waiting for Tim to give some excuse as to why he couldn't do it.

"You're on."

They gathered around the edge of the pool to watch as Tim climbed over the railing so he was stood on the outside of the balcony, teetering as he looked down at the water below him.

Chants of 'Tim, Tim' arose from the group, and he gave a quick wink before leaping into the water, soaking many people that had stood a little too close to the edge.

"You shouldn't be drinking." Lucas told Brooke as he looked disapprovingly at the cup of vodka in her hand.

She simply shrugged "One can't do any harm."

"Except it's not just one is it?" He returned, a little louder.

"You can't care what I do all of a sudden. It doesn't work like that."

"How does it work then Brooke?" He asked "Cos I sure as hell don't know."

----

They were back inside, Tim taking his place back at the table, but this time with a towel draped around his shoulders, lapping up the attention and praise the girls were giving him. Haley was dared to kiss Nathan, and after leaning across the table a little awkwardly, they held each other's gaze for a few seconds before she closed the gap between them. Peyton wasn't going to win.

Peyton herself had then been dared to play the rest of the game in just her underwear, and of course, had accepted the challenge, which was admittedly a weak one.

It came to Peyton's turn to choose a dare for someone, and without hesitation, she turned to Lucas.

"I dare Lucas to kiss me while Brooke watches."

"What the hell Peyton?" Nathan asked angrily, realising her vendetta against Brooke had gone too far, while looks were exchanged between those taking part, who were awaiting Lucas' response.

"He's gotta do it, it's his dare." Tim shouted, draping his arm across the shoulders of some blonde girl who'd previously told him how brave he was for jumping into the pool.

Lucas looked at Brooke, who was trying not to let people see how jealous she actually was. She had a fake smile plastered across her face as she scanned the room, wishing she hadn't agreed to taking part in the stupid game.

"I refuse." He stated.

Peyton's head snapped up as the smirk faltered. "What do you mean you refuse? You have to do the dare, that's the rules."

Lucas shook his head. "I either do the dare or drink two shots."

"Get the glasses!" Time exclaimed, excitement about a possible catfight between possibly the two hottest girls ever, over whelming him.

Brooke raised an eyebrow at a visibly annoyed Peyton who had instructed that Lucas' glasses be filled with tequila, something she knew he didn't like.

He downed the shots in quick succession, receiving pats on the back from members of the team, and from girls who had now begun to admire him, rather than Tim. Nathan however, had his fists clenched in anger, at both Peyton and Lucas; Peyton for daring Lucas to kiss her, and Lucas for….well just because he hated him.

----

As Brooke lay in bed that night on her own, she wondered just how long she'd have to let Lucas and everyone else believe that she was pregnant. It had been so easy to dare other people to do things that night, and she was unsure as to why it was that she couldn't just dare herself to tell Lucas the truth.

A single tear escaped as Brooke knew that Lucas was only staying with her because he thought she was pregnant. And as she felt that pain in her chest once again while she thought about him, Brooke knew this was only going to screw her up even more.

_The truth will always get you in the end.

* * *

_

Please review xxx 


	11. Play Truths

**Author- **Emily-Grace Mendes (Brookebynature)

**Disclaimer-** I only own this story, not the characters and not the show sadly enough

**A/N- **I really tried to get this chapter out earlier, but I never found the time to complete it. But this time has come, and so has the chapter! A big thank you to everyone who reviewed, and I hope you enjoy this. xxx

**

* * *

**

**Play The Game**

Play Truths

Detention. They all had god damn detention for a week since the biology teacher had found out about Brooke's little rager the previous night, and after checking the computer inside the dolls which had recorded the students progress, the results were anything but good.

Out of all of them, it was perhaps Haley and Nathan that had done the best, only because Haley had looked after the doll while Nathan was at practise and vice versa. Brooke and Lucas however, had completely ignored the fact that they were even supposed to be parents to the thing, each of them leaving the doll, otherwise known as 'Tori' in their gym bags while Lucas was playing basketball, or Brooke was at cheerleading practise.

"I thought daddy Tim was a pro" Nathan chuckled as he walked passed a very depressed-looking Tim sat beside Peyton.

"I am. Turned out Peyton's just a crap mother."

"It's a fucking doll for Christ's sake." She retorted, turning her attention back to the drawing on the table in front of her. One of the pluses about not being friends with Brooke any more was the fact that she could draw without someone taking the piss.

"Scary drawing Peyt."

_Or not._

----

"We can't afford to have detention this week, we need to practise for the classic!" Brooke huffed, zipping the top of her tracksuit up so that her boobs were safely secured underneath the velour material. Had she been wearing a sports bra for the occasion, she would have been fine wearing a tank top. But her C cups were fast maturing into D's, meaning that although her low cut shirts looked even better, practise was made harder.

Still, they were better than Peyton's A cups, Brooke always took satisfaction in that.

"We've still got like a half hour before we have to be in detention Brooke" Haley tried to make light. "I'm sure I can learn how to do a pyramid before then."

"Do you even know what a pyramid is?" Peyton cut in icily. "Cos you sure as hell can't learn one in a half hour."

"We're not all as slow as you Peyton." Brooke retorted, wondering whether the curly blonde would ever cut Haley some slack.

"How's things ladies?" Nathan smirked, walking into the gym and interrupting what looked like the beginning of a cat fight between….well he wasn't quite sure who exactly.

"Just grand." Brooke muttered under her breath.

"Practise doesn't seem very taxing these days." he continued "I remember a time when you'd all be stretching or doing the splits or whatever else you do around here."

"Your point Nathan?" Brooke asked impatiently. She really was growing tired of these games.

"Ah, I don't really have one."

"Well you hit the nail on the head there, now if you don't mind, I have a pyramid to learn."

Everyone stood staring at Haley, a little shocked, and caught totally off guard by her outburst. Raising her eyebrows at Nathan, he left sharpish, but not before whispering something incomprehendable to the rest of the group in her ear.

----

"You'll be here every night for the rest of the week." The biology teacher stated, scanning the room to make sure that all of his students were in the room. It was double detention for anyone who failed to attend.

There was a chorus of groans, but the one good thing was the fact that it was almost the whole class, meaning that there was bound to be some fun to be had. Tim took this obligation upon himself to instigate the students first round of amusement, by chewing some paper and then spitting it at Nathan, who naturally reciprocated.

"There will be no messing around!" The supervisor stated, blissfully unaware that his position would not be looked up to. Supervisors of detention never were.

It only took half an hour for the supervisor to leave, stating that he had photocopying to do, would be locking the door, and would return within another half hour. Hearing this, looks were exchanged between most of the students, excluding Haley, who was horrified to be sat in detention during her first weeks of school.

"Okay I vote we play a game." Peyton stated, looking around to see who was with her.

"I'm up for twister." Tim replied, envisaging the girl tangled around him.

"Do you see the twister mat anywhere doofus?" Nathan shook his head, "and I can see your fantasy now. Don't think the girl will be draped all over you."

A few people chuckled at Nathan's comment, leaving an embarrassed Tim nursing his ego at the desk near the front of the room.

"We could play truth or dare." Peyton snuck a look at Brooke as she spoke.

A few nods and replies of 'yes' answered Peyton, and she again looked across at the brunette beside her.

"You're quiet today Brooke. Got something you don't want to tell us?"

She could hear them whispering around them, speculating about whether or not she was pregnant- _not_ being the correct answer.

"But how can we do dares?" Bevin asked. "We can't even leave the room."

"Okay, so we can just play truths." Peyton told them. "Who's in?"

There were enough 'I am's' to leave Peyton satisfied, with Haley finally agreeing to join after Lucas and Nathan had said that they would play.

"That just leaves Brooke." Peyton smirked as everyone looked at cool-looking class queen on the back row. Only today she didn't feel cool. She was hot, too hot. Her hands were sweating and her legs would have been shaking if she wasn't pressing them together.

"C'mon Brooke, you can't let everyone down."

She looked around at the expectant faces and nodded slowly. "I'm in."

----

Surprisingly enough, nobody has asked Brooke, Lucas or Nathan about the pregnancy rumours, and Brooke was beginning to relax, laughing along with everyone else when they learnt that Tim's first crush was the 60-year-old math teacher, and that Bevin still had a crush on her geography teacher.

"If you could do anyone in this room right now Nathan." Some guy from the basketball team began "Who would it be?"

The group awaited his answer, giggling between girls who whispered Brooke, and others who whispered Peyton.

He smiled a little and locked eyes with the newest addition to the social scene. "Haley."

There were sounds of shock, and biting of lips among those who were waiting for Peyton's reaction, knowing fine well that her and Nathan used to be an item of sorts, and that they still had _something._

"Haley." Peyton begun sarcastically. "Tell us the truth, did you buy that ugly-ass poncho or has someone made you wear it from the dares last night?"

Brooke narrowed her eyes at the curly blonde who leant back in her seat, looking every inch pleased with herself as Haley blinked back the tears that were pricking in her eyes.

"No I didn't buy it, and nobody made me wear it from the dares." She replied. "My mother knitted it for me."

Brooke made a mental note to take Haley shopping at the weekend, and to also tell her that sometimes, she needed to either lie, or come up with a better line than the truth.

"I didn't think someone blind could knit." Peyton giggled maliciously, cocking her head as Brooke sat forward in her own seat.

"Drop it Peyton."

The group turned their heads to Brooke as she locked eyes with her former best friend.

"Your turn Brooke." Tim announced.

She was about to open her mouth again to speak when Peyton cut in. "I think we all want to know this one." She looked around at the other teens, taking it upon herself to get some confirmation of the rumours flying around the school. "Who's the father of your baby Brooke? Tell us the truth."

Lucas looked at Brooke, just as Nathan did, only, she couldn't see. Her head was bent and her mind was working most definitely too fast as she tried to think of something to say.

Even if she was pregnant, she would have no idea who the father was. And after telling Lucas the baby was his, she could hardly then say Nathan. However, if she did say Lucas, it would only confirm Nathan's suspicions that she was lying about him getting her pregnant.

"I'm not…." she trailed off, looking up a little, and as she caught Lucas' eye with her own, that small stab of something making her body feel weaker ran through her. "I…"

"C'mon Brooke, answer the question." The blonde urged, still smirking, although unaware of the real truth.

Everyone's eyes were on her to make matters worse, and she really, _really_ felt like she was going to throw up.

Luckily enough though, the handle for the door shook, and the supervisor walked back in, coffee in one hand, paper's tucked under his arm.

"This doesn't look much like studying." He scanned the room, picking out the students that had turned their chairs around so they were facing the back row.

"It's called group study sir" Tim said. "We all test each other and learn things that we don't know together."

The tall man squinted his eyes at them, but silently nodded, and then told them to sit properly at single desks.

Brooke was eternally grateful to the man, and offered him a small smile as it dawned on her that tomorrow's detention was likely to be the same thing. Even if she didn't come to school, the rumours and questions would be unavoidable.

----

"Brooke!" Lucas shouted from inside his car across the parking lot. She was walking faster than he had ever imagined someone being able to walk without it turning into a run. Her head was down and he guessed it had something to do with detention.

"Brooke!" He shouted again, louder this time in order to get her to stop.

The rest of the students that had accompanied them in detention watched as she got into the silver Mercedes, which sped off at an alarmingly fast rate considering the entrance and exit from the parking lot wasn't wide enough for more than one car at a time.

"Why didn't you just say?" Lucas enquired. "We're going to have to tell everyone at some point when they see your stomach's not flat anymore.

"Are you trying to tell me I'm fat?" Brooke spat, clenching her fists as Lucas slowed down for a red light.

"I meant they're gonna see you're pregnant."

He watched her turn away as he said it, and it then crossed his mind. "I'm not the father am I?"

She bowed her head. "Lucas I…"

"Save it." He replied coldly. "I can't believe I even fell for it. I should've known better with it coming from you."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"How many guys have you slept with Brooke? Was I the first one to tell you I'd be there? Is that why you decided to trick me?"

"I..I wasn't trying to…"

"God, I wish Peyton was here right now to get her answer." He shook his head as Brooke chocked on her own anger.

"This kid is going to be seriously screwed up with you as it's mother."

"There is no baby Lucas!"

He almost stopped the car as she screamed at him. "There is no baby okay, I'm not pregnant. So you're not the father, and neither is anyone else."

"I don't even know if you're lying right now." he said coldly.

"I'm not lying okay? I went to the doctor and he told me I wasn't pregnant."

"So why lie in the first place?"

"I didn't….I…"

He stopped the car outside of her house and reached across to open the door.

"Lucas just listen…."

"Get out." He cut in, not even daring to look her in the eye.

"I'm sorry."

"Me too."

He wasted no time in driving off, leaving a shaken Brooke standing at the end of her driveway, praying that he would drive straight back and let her explain to him. But she'd waiting fifteen minutes, and he hadn't returned, so she turned, walking defeated towards the house where, as usual, nobody was home.

----

Detention rolled around all too quickly the next day, and up until now, Lucas had been able to avoid Brooke, as had Haley with Nathan. Whether he had been joking the previous day, or been serious, she now had absolutely no time for the jerk, even if she did feel something for him.

It was the same supervisor as the day before, and Tim high-fived some other guy as they realised the truth game from yesterday could continue.

Before making her way to the classroom, Brooke paid a quick visit to the bathrooms, barely making it into the cubicle before she threw up, her eyes watering as her throat burned. Unaware that Peyton was reapplying mascara in front of the mirror, Brooke flushed the chain and leant against the wall, closing her eyes as she prayed for the supervisor not to leave the room during detention.

"You're not even pregnant and you're throwing up." She said softly to herself, getting her balance before opening the door to see Peyton looking at her in the mirror.

"See ya in detention" She smirked, snapping her bag shut as she glanced quickly in the mirror before leaving the bathroom.

Brooke splashed cold water over her face, grateful that she'd decided to wear waterproof mascara today, in case of such an emergency that involved either throwing up, rain or crying.

----

"You're late Miss Davis." The supervisor told her, looking at his watch and then back at her. She mumbled a quick apology before opening her bag to take out her books.

"Game time." Tim announced as he watched the guy walk down the corridor, a smile appearing across his face as he realised that there might be a cat fight today, the thought of it turning him on. "Who's in?"

Most of the students were all too eager to finish off where they started the previous day, telling Tim that they were in as they waited expectantly for both Brooke and Peyton to announce their partaking.

"I'm in" Peyton was the first, followed by Lucas, who stole a glance at Brooke, before Nathan agreed to join, waiting for Haley to say she was to playing too.

She looked at Brooke, who noted that the girl was wearing jeans and small heels today, teamed with a new-looking green shirt that accentuated her chest. Brooke gave a small nod, and they both announced they were in, figuring that maybe she could clear up a few things with Lucas.

"Peyton, why do you hate Brooke?" Lucas asked, surprising everyone that he had included two of the people that he was supposedly friends with, if you could call it that.

"She's a cheater."

A few puzzled looks were exchanged between people who were unaware of Brooke sleeping with Nathan.

"I didn't cheat, you guys weren't even dating." Brooke spoke up. "He was fair game."

"Just like Lucas?"

"Ooooh" Tim begun saying, rubbing his hands together before Nathan smacked him over the head.

Brooke stared at Peyton until she finally broke the silence asking "Tell the truth Brooke, are you pregnant?"

This was the question they'd all been waiting for, it was what Lucas had wanted to hear her answer ever since the previous night when he'd regretted driving away. Nathan looked up from the desk to watch Brooke, wondering whether they'd ever get their answer.

Holding Lucas' gaze, she answered quickly "No, I'm not pregnant" before inspecting her nails, wondering about whether to get them painted candy pink or fuchsia. Nathan nodded, smiling a little to himself as he'd started to doubt his own judgement after Brooke and Lucas had seemed so cosy over the past coupe days.

"So you lied to Lucas?" Peyton continued. "Made him think that he was the father."

She chose not to answer, but instead focused on Lucas, whose eyes hadn't left her own.

"But you told Nathan that you were pregnant." She fake frowned. "You seem a little confused Brooke."

She could hear them all whispering and talking in hushed voices after Peyton's response, which admittedly was the truth, but a bitchy way of telling it all the same.

"My turn to ask a question." Haley began, trying to help Brooke out as she'd done for her the previous day.

"Go ahead." Peyton leaned back a little, content to watch Brooke shift uncomfortably in her seat as the students continued to whisper.

"Why are you jealous of me Peyton?"

"Jealous?" She laughed it off. "A little up your own ass wouldn't you say Haley?"

"Then why do you have that half-constipated, half - pissed off look on your face whenever I talk to him?"

Brooke smirked and winked at Haley across the table, wanting to jump up and hug her. A few nods and comments of 'nice' could be heard from the boys, who had started to look at Haley as potential dating/hook-up material.

"I'm not jealous."

"Ah ah Peyton" Brooke wagged her finger "We're playing truths. You have to answer the question. Why are you jealous of Haley?"

The blonde thought for a minute, wondering what she could say that wasn't the truth, making her sound stupid and pathetic.

"Because she has the guts to wear her cheerleading uniform thinking she actually looks good in it."

The room was silent again and Brooke flashed an apologetic smile at Haley, who for a moment, had beaten Peyton.

----

Brooke and Haley walked together after detention was over, each realising that right now, the other was the only one they could count on.

"I want to quit the squad Brooke" Haley told her.

_Or not._

"Why?"

"I can't do it okay? I can't do a pyramid, I can't do the stupid parties where everyone gets wasted and sleeps with the first person they can find, and I sure as hell can't do this whole bitch thing."

"Really? Cos you seemed kinda good at it today?"

"Why'd you hate Lucas so much man?" Tim asked Nathan as they made their way to the gym in order to catch up on the practise they had missed.

"Game time's over now Tim." He replied quickly "we're not playing any more."

"But you never got asked any questions."

"Yeah well, that was then and this is now. You gonna shoot some hoops or not?"

As they made their way through the doors, they saw Lucas running lay-ups as Whitey gave him advice on how to be faster, more accurate.

"Guess not."

"Now that" Nathan began "That's why I hate him."

* * *

Please review guys, they're much appreciated xxx 


	12. Play Because You Want To

**Author- **Emily-Grace Mendes (Brookebynature)

**Disclaimer- **I don't own the characters or the show. Only this story

**A/N- **Big thank you to everyone who reviewed, though there weren't as many this time :( Hope you enjoy this, there's only two more chapters to go after this one. xxx

**

* * *

**

**Play The Game**

Play Because You Want To

"You want Nathan" Brooke poked Haley in the side as they walked to the gymnasium in order to get in a little cheerleading practise before detention.

"I do not!"

"Oh you so do" Brooke giggled. "And he wants you."

"He doesn't want me Brooke." Haley argued "He wants to sleep with Peyton."

"That's just a cover up." The brunette replied as she swung her gym bag over her shoulder to prevent it from falling. "I can tell, he really wants you. You were his answer in that stupid truths game yesterday."

"Yeah well that was his answer to who would he 'do' and like you said, it was a stupid game. He's a jerk anyway."

"Newsflash, all guys are jerks Haley. Didn't you ever have a boyfriend at your old school?"

Haley shook her head. "I didn't really care, boys only like cheerleaders."

"And here's your chance!" Brooke exclaimed as she saw Nathan and Tim approaching. "You're a cheerleader now."

"Looking good babe." Nathan nodded to Haley as the girls passed.

"You're looking good too Brooke." Tim told her "Maybe we should get together some time."

"We're out of your league." Brooke returned quickly, grabbing Haley's arm to drag her even faster along the walkway to the gym.

"What the hell did you say that for?" Haley asked Brooke when the guys were out of ear shot. "If that was my chance, you blew it."

"This coming from someone who's never had a boyfriend before." Brooke cocked her head to one side as Haley frowned. "You've got to treat them a little mean, make them want more."

"But that seems stupid." Haley argued. "If he likes me and I like him.."

"Ha! I knew you liked him." Brooke pointed her finger at the girl in front of her who had been smoothing down her skirt ever since she saw Nathan approaching.

"Okay so maybe I do, but I'm not gonna play all these stupid games."

"They're not stupid." Brooke replied, growing increasingly annoyed with Haley's smoothing of her skirt.

"Where did yesterday get you with Lucas?"

"That's different."

"How?"

Brooke was at a loss for a response, but felt that familiar sting when she saw the subject of their conversation shooting hoops in the gym- something he shouldn't have been doing considering Brooke had declared emergency cheer practise earlier that day.

"Ladies." he nodded coldly toward Brooke, and made the ball glide effortlessly through the hoop as they both looked on.

"We have practise now." Haley told him after having glanced at Brooke and noticed the slightly nervous look on her face.

"Well I'm quite happy to watch." he smirked as he grabbed the ball and turned to face them, winking at an unsuspecting Brooke.

"That's not gonna happen."

"I like your new cheerleader." Lucas stated. "At least she's honest."

Brooke narrowed her eyes at the blonde-haired boy who still had a smirk on his face. It seemed to be a trademark of the Scott family.

"That's a rare thing to come across these days."

"I was honest with you Lucas." Brooke spat, clenching her hands.

"Yeah" He shook his head, lightly chuckling. "When someone else found out the truth."

"Look we have practise and Brooke booked the gym, so can you just leave?" Haley asked, raising her eyebrows- something she realised that she had picked up from her friend after spending just a few days with her.

Lucas held his hand up as he looked at the two girls. "Alright I'm going."

----

Unfortunately, the fact that tonight was game night did not seem to get the biology class off detention, and as it finished at 5, they didn't have long to get ready. There was a party afterwards, as there always was, and Brooke had decided that this was the time for Haley to get Nathan, and for her to get even with Lucas.

"I can't be at the game tonight." Haley told Brooke as they left the classroom. "My mom grounded me for getting detention."

"What!?"

"I'm sorry."

"Please tell me you're kidding."

"I wish." Haley replied "I really did want to go."

"You know there's a party afterwards right?" Brooke asked.

"So?"

"So this could be the night where you get Nathan."

Haley shook her head. "It's not going to happen."

"You want to cheer tonight right?"

"Yeah but…"

"And you want to go to the party?"

"Yes but I'm gro…"

"Well then we'll just have to sneak you out."

"I think my Mom's going to notice if she comes into my room and finds that I'm not there." Haley said sarcastically, rolling her eyes at brunette, another habit she'd picked up.

"If that happens, we'll think of a plan, but right now, you're coming to mine to get ready."

"But…"

"No buts, come on."

Luckily Brooke had her car today, so didn't have to face the embarrassment of having to walk, or worse still, ask for a lift. Haley trudged alongside her as they made their way to her powder blue beetle parked back in her favourite spot beside the tree.

----

"You know that my Mom _is _going to find out, and when she does, she'll probably kill me right?" Haley's eyes widened as Brooke held up various outfits from her closet, trying to decide firstly what she would be wearing to the after-game party, and secondly, what Haley would be wearing.

"I've told you, We'll think of a plan when we need to. Right now, we need to get these outfits sorted."

"Brooke I can't fit into any of your clothes! They're like a size zero, and besides, we're going to be late."

"FYI I am never later to anything, and I'm not a size zero." She rolled her eyes. "I wish."

"Well we'd better hurry up and if you think I'm wearing that shirt, think again."

Brooke feigned horror and threw a different shirt at Haley who was now dramatically shaking her head as she laid on the bed. "It's a cute shirt."

"Yeah, cute if you have boobs."

"You've got boobs Haley." Brooke tried to make her feel better but ended up giggling. "You can have some of mine, they're getting too big for their own good."

"I guess mine beat Peyton's huh?" Haley joined in the laughing.

"Even Nathan's beat Peyton's."

----

After finally settling on a low cut green silk top teamed with dark wash jeans and heels for herself, Brooke helped Haley decide on a plum coloured top and jeans too, only she'd teamed hers with boots and a long necklace, as Brooke had said it would draw Nathan's eyes to her chest, because in fact, she did have a decent rack under that bra.

Haley had replied that she didn't want Nathan to just look at her boobs, but Brooke had said it was nonsense, and that when they slept together, of course he'd be looking at her boobs. And that had freaked Haley out a little to say the least.

"I hope you're cheering for me babe." Nathan winked at Haley as the crowd roared and the team entered the gym.

Brooke rolled her eyes, but smiled a little as she watched Haley's gaze follow him down the court.

"I'll be cheering for you Luke." Peyton smirked as he winked at her, and Brooke's smile faltered.

"Glad to hear it."

She felt Haley's hand give her own a little squeeze as they began cheering. "I'm fine" Brooke muttered, silently vowing to get revenge, or at least, so something about the situation at the party later that night.

----

Drinks were flowing easily as Brooke and Haley walked into Nathan's beach house, the scene of many parties over the past year, and many to follow. Brooke made her way to the kitchen, dragging Haley along with her who was still getting used to the activities these people were used to after school, and also, worrying about what her Mom was going to say or do to her when she got home.

"How about a drink for the star shooting guard?" Nathan asked Haley, who was pouring herself a cola with no vodka.

"Where is Lucas then?" Peyton chipped in "I'll go get him one."

Haley rolled her eyes and Nathan chuckled as she handed him a beer. "You were good tonight."

"Babe" Nathan paused, taking a swig from the bottle "I'm always good."

Brooke was making her way down the beach when she spied Lucas and Peyton sat on a rock, obviously drunk from the way Peyton was laughing and Lucas' feet were dangling over the edge.

"Hey Brooke!" Someone called her form the water, and she shook off the thoughts of Lucas and Peyton, and being pregnant, or not pregnant, as the case was.

"Coming!" That fake smile was plastered across her face again as she shrieked down to the waters edge, playfully splashing those who were already in the water.

----

The stereo was cranked up on high volume when she entered the house again, with many people inside dancing where the coffee table would normally have been. She was with a guy, Michael, who she been talking to down on the beach. She'd seen him before, not normally at these parties, but at school. He was on the lacrosse team and had history at the same time as her and Lucas, but Brooke hadn't spoken to him much before.

Still, tonight things were different, and if she wanted to get back at Lucas, she needed another guy to do it with, and since Nathan was off limits due to whatever the hell was going on between him and Haley, Michael would do. Besides, he was good-looking and had a nice body underneath his shirt, which was slightly damp due to being too near the water's edge when Brooke had started off a splash-fest.

"You wanna dance?" Brooke whispered huskily in his ear, holding eye contact with Lucas as she did so. If he could rub it in her face about Peyton, then she could do the same.

"Sure" he nodded and let Brooke lead him into the dance floor, just as Peyton asked Lucas the same question.

They too, joined the coupled who were grinding up against each other, girls clad in short skirts and low cut tops, and guys with jeans on, most shirtless. Brooke found a smile creep across her face as she felt Lucas' eyes on her writhing body, but she just moved closer to Michael, happy to feel that she was having some effect on both guys.

"She's going to get hurt." Haley muttered to nobody in particular, but found that Nathan had heard her.

"She knows what she's doing."

"I don't think she does." She replied.

"This is what it's like Haley." Nathan told her. "It's not a fairy tale like the movies, you don't find the person you're going to marry in high school. That's not how it works."

"Why the games though? Why not just admit to liking someone?"

"It's more fun this way."

She watched him walk away to the centre of the living room, immediately being pulled into what could be described as the dance floor by girls who swayed their hips around him.

_More fun for who? _Haley wondered as she watched the action from her space in the kitchen. She was safe there, nobody could drag her to an upstairs bedroom or to go skinning dipping in the sea. They couldn't make her grind up against the rest of them, growing sweatier as the crowd pushed closer together. Here, she could watch.

It was when Lucas left for the bathroom, that Peyton grabbed Nathan, pulling him towards her by his open blue shirt. He looked back quickly at the girl who he had left stood alone in the kitchen, and when she caught his eye, she grabbed a bottle of beer, popping the top and taking a huge swig.

Brooke was right, sometimes you did need alcohol.

And when Lucas returned to find Peyton grinding up against Nathan, he looked over to Brooke, who was already leading Michael to the staircase, his hands tangling in her wavy hair as she held his lips against hers, their breathing becoming increasingly ragged as she felt with her hands for the banister rail.

----

Haley was tipsy when Brooke grabbed her hand, slurring that they should have a girly sleepover that night.

"We have school in the morning Brooke."

"So?"

"So I think I should go home, I'm in enough trouble as it is."

"You can't leave me Haley." She stuttered. "You're my best friend."

She then realised that Michael wasn't anywhere around, but that he and Brooke had most probably had sex. It wasn't uncommon at parties, and it certainly wasn't uncommon for Brooke, from what Haley had heard, but this time, she felt that Lucas was behind it, that he was the reason for tonight's drunken fumble.

"Where's Nathan?" Brooke asked. "Shouldn't you guys be in a bedroom right now?"

Haley shook her head "Look over there."

Brooke turned her head to where Haley was meaning, and saw a drunken Peyton snaking her hands over Nathan's shoulders, her lips dangerously close to his.

"I'm sorry Haley."

"Yeah me too."

They walked the short distance to Brooke after she had protested that Haley was likely to wake her parents up if she tried to go home, and after she'd been promised that she could ring them first thing in the morning, Haley agreed to join the brunette back at her house.

"Why'd you do it Brooke?" She asked as they lay underneath the cotton sheets.

"Do what?"

"With Michael tonight. Why not just tell Lucas you like him?"

"I had to get back at him."

"For what?"

"For what he did to me. For not listening, for being with Peyton all night."

"Don't you think it's gone too far?"

"It's all just a game Haley." Brooke tried to reason.

"But you're loosing Brooke! Can't you see that? Why are you still playing?"

"Because I want to okay? Because I want to get even with Peyton, I want to get back at Lucas, and I wanted Michael."

"So you've had him. What now?"

"I keep playing."

* * *

Please review guys xxx


	13. Play Because You Have To

**Author- **Emily-Grace Mendes (Brookebynature)

**Disclaimer- **I don't own One Tree Hill or the characters, blah, blah...

**A/N- **Thank you so much to those of you who reviewed, this chapter is a little shorter than some of the others, mainly because I can't split this, and the final chapter up in any other place. So I hope you enjoy xxx

**

* * *

**

**Play The Game**

Play Because You Have To

"I just can't believe it's the classic next week." Brooke groaned, sighing dramatically as she flopped down onto her bed.

"Yeah well at least we're not in detention any more." Haley reasoned, grateful that after school nights no longer consisted of detention then being grounded. Brooke had been right-she had thought of a plan when it came to explaining to her Mom about where they'd been the night of the game.

"And if Claire Young thinks she's taking that trophy home she can think again."

"Who the hell is Claire Young?" Haley asked, sifting through Brooke's closet in a bid to find something that she could wear to the party thrown by Brooke herself this weekend.

"Just this bitch from the Bear Creek warriors that thinks she's better than me." Brooke waved it away, shaking her head. "But she's not."

"Sounds like….high school" Haley muttered.

----

"Have you all _not _seen 'Bring It On'?" Brooke fumed at her squad as they sat down on the hard gymnasium floor, exhausted from the amount of practise they had been doing over the past couple days. "If just one of you slacks, the whole routine goes up in smoke."

"Try telling that to your new recruit." Peyton shot a glance at Haley, who was moving sticky hair from out of her face.

"Don't try and put this on me, you're the one who couldn't hold steady!" Haley returned, after having decided that she was no longer going to be civil towards Peyton, not after her antics at the after-game party.

"Yeah, because you weigh like a zillion pounds. It's called a _diet_."

Brooke opened her mouth in shock at Peyton's words, amazed that even she had said them to Haley of all people.

"Look we have a week." Brooke reasoned. "And we're gonna have to step up our game because I'm not letting Claire Young take home that trophy this year."

After clapping her hands and pretty much downing a bottle of Evian, Brooke directed the squad through the sequence, jumping and squealing a little when they completed it _almost_ perfectly.

----

"Why the hell am I even doing this?" Haley asked as she stared at the bag of chips in front of her. They were, of course, sat at their table outside, seeing as the weather had improved somewhat vastly over the past week, bringing sunshine and a warm breeze instead of the rain they had been getting used to.

"Because you love me and you know it's a huge favour and I'll love you for ever and ever if you do it for me?" Brooke answered, opening the bag for Haley, quickly delving in to grab a handful of the lightly salted potato chips.

"Eat them."

"No they're yours." Brooke replied "Besides, I've just eaten a mars bar."

"Maybe I should go on a diet….."

"Maybe you should tell Peyton to go screw herself. Guys like girls with boobs and an ass they can actually see."

Haley giggled a little and smiled at the brunette next to her. It was times like these, rare times, when she was sure that Brooke was genuine, and not just befriending her because she had nobody else.

"Operation piss Lucas and Nathan off commences this week." Brooke told Haley.

"Brooke…I'm not sure that…."

"Look" She began pointedly "I'm getting closer Haley, did you see how he was after I hooked up with Michael after the game?"

"Yeah" Haley nodded "And I also saw him dance with Peyton, who then danced with Nathan."

"Well we can do something about her, maybe accidentally-on-purpose drop her at practise _after _the classic, and then she wouldn't be able to walk, much less dance."

"It's getting worse Brooke."

"What is?" She asked

"This game."

Right on cue, Lucas walked passed their table, winking once again at an unsuspecting Brooke.

"I'll see you at your party." he told her, with that smirk that she'd been so used to seeing when they first met.

"What makes you think you're invited asshole?"

He shrugged. "Even if you don't invite me, I know you want me there."

And as he walked away, Brooke reasoned with her own thoughts. So what if she _did _want him there? It wasn't so wrong was it? Besides, she wanted, to show him what he was missing. She _needed _to show him what he was missing.

----

And it hadn't taken long for Brooke to put her plan into action. She'd already started on the tequila while setting up-the bottle had been too close for her to resist. Haley had declined Brooke's offer of some vodka, even if it was the expensive Norsk variety.

Lucas arrived pretty shortly after most other people, bringing with him, some sort of a team of followers. Perhaps surprisingly, Peyton wasn't one of them, though she still turned up, Nathan in tow.

"You fancy a drink?" Lucas asked Haley when they were alone in the kitchen, holding up a bottle as though the girl had no concept of what a drink was.

"I told you I don't drink." She replied coolly, a little too coolly for her own liking, but she had told herself that of all people, Lucas deserved this kind of treatment.

"You want something without alcohol then? Orange juice, soda?"

"I can get it myself."

"You seem pissed at me."

"Well then you _finally _got the message." Haley muttered, taking with her a can of soda. It didn't appear that Brooke was attempting to stay sober.

"Is this about Peyton?" Lucas called, making the girl almost march back into the room.

"No!" she almost spat. "This is about you and it's about Brooke. What are you doing to her?"

"Nothing" He held his hand up in defence.

"Well it doesn't seem like nothing."

"Look Haley, you don't seem to know what high school is about…"

"It's about having fun and studying." She interrupted.

"Exactly. So I'm just having fun."

"But you're messing with her."

"She's messing with Peyton."

"Well if you like Peyton so much, why don't you just date her?"

"I…"

"It's because you don't." The brunette seethed. "And you sure as hell can't like Brooke if this is what you want to do to her."

"Do what?" he was almost pleading with her to tell him now, his voice no longer keeping the calm, sarcastic tone it usually had.

"You're breaking her Lucas." Haley almost whispered. "You're making her loose."

----

"I like him." Brooke slurred as she wrapped an arm around Haley while pointing to some guy across the room. "He's cute."

"Brooke you might wanna slow down on the tequila."

The brunette snatched her drink close to her chest as if protecting it from Haley's comment. "I'm fine."

"You don't look fine." Haley argued, noting the smudged mascara that at some point earlier in the evening, had run down her face mixed with salty tears.

"Look Haley, just mind your own business." Brooke snapped, removing her arm as she made her way across the living room and to the boy, who was holding a bottle of beer, instantly handing it over to her as she touched his arm.

"You look kinda nervous." Nathan told Haley as they stood around the edge of the room, where the air was less hot and the music wasn't quite so deafening.

"Yeah well that's for a number of things." She muttered, biting a nail as she saw Lucas glance over at a clearly-drunken Brooke.

"What?"

"Nothing" She brushed past his question in an attempt to either get Nathan to leave, or to change the subject.

"So why are you nervous?"

_That didn't work._

"It's the classic next week."

"The cheerleader thingy right?"

Haley nodded. "I didn't exactly bargain on becoming a cheerleader when I moved here."

"So why are you even doing it?"

Haley looked in the direction of Brooke, who was stealing glances at Lucas, standing in the kitchen while seemingly reading the label of the beer bottle.

"Because I have to."

----

Brooke had her lips locked with the guy she had earlier mentioned as cute when Nathan left Haley to make his way over to the guys from the team. Her body was swaying as she grabbed onto his shirt in a bid to stay upright, just as Lucas caught her eye for the first time that evening.

She expected him to wink, smirk, or at least shake his head at her after that. She knew she was far too drunk, unattractively drunk. And yet, most people in that room would have paid to sleep with her, Brooke knew that. But now, it wasn't such a flattering thought any more.

"Still playing huh?" Haley asked, handing Brooke a glass of water as she stumbled into the kitchen. "Just be careful Brooke."

"I saw him looking at me." She slurred. "And it still makes me feel funny."

Haley closed her eyes as she thought of that similar stab of something in her own chest when she spoke to Nathan, or felt his eyes on her.

"Brooke…."

"Don't Haley." She held up her hand. "Just don't say anything. You don't know what it's like."

"Is it really all just a game to you?" She couldn't help but ask. Perhaps if Brooke admitted that it was something more, then there would be a chance for her and Lucas.

The brunette shook her head slowly, looking down at the floor the whole time.

"Then why are you still playing?"

Brooke's eyes wandered to Lucas and she let her mouth curve into a small smile as she shrugged. "Because I have to."

* * *

Please review guys, only one more chapter to go xxx


	14. Play To Win

**Author- **Emily-Grace Mendes (Brookebynature)

**Disclaimer- **I own none of the characters, or the show, or the song. But I DO own this story.

**A/N- **Here it is guys, the FINAL CHAPTER! Longer note at the bottom, I'll just let you read. I have a feeling you might like this one...

**

* * *

**

**Play The Game**

Play To Win

The volume of noise on the bus had already begun to piss Brooke off, who was trying to catch up on some much-needed sleep. It wasn't her fault that the previous few nights she'd been thinking about Lucas too much to even shut her eyes, much less sleep. But with the classic tomorrow, she sure as hell needed as much sleep as possible on this bus ride.

"Brooke it's your turn for a truth." Bevin told her excitedly, having just found out that Tim had a crush on her, not that she would even take him up on his offer of 'getting cosy with the Tim' but still, it was always nice to be admired.

"I'm not playing." The brunette mumbled sleepily.

"Aww come on Brooke." Peyton chipped in slyly. "I'm sure you have loads of truths you could share with us."

Brooke rolled her eyes. Her former best friend's attempts at trying to humiliate her were weakening.

----

"Alphabetical order, no switching!" Whitey barked at his players, who were mostly suffering from headaches caused by the girls high pitched excited screams, or exhaustion from intense practise.

Both Lucas and Nathan groaned when they realised they were sharing a room, a little something Whitey had concocted in hope that they might magically 'bond' in turn helping the team.

Luckily for Brooke and the rest of the cheerleaders, their rooms hadn't been assigned alphabetically, meaning that they could choose who they shared with.

"Haley we need to plan, you're sharing with me."

Had she had anyone to exchange worried-looking glances with, Haley most certainly would have done so upon hearing Brooke call her name. "Sure" She muttered, forcing a smile as the suddenly perky brunette grabbed her arm, leading her to their room.

"What do you mean by plan?" Haley asked as she flopped down onto the bed, which she was surprised to find was a comfortable queen size double.

"Double beds." Brooke said, mainly to herself. "Things could get kinky."

"Hello? Brooke?" Haley asked again.

"Hello Haley." She giggled, bouncing on her own bed to test its firmness.

"What's the plan?"

"Well I'm glad you asked, because there are several."

Haley rolled her eyes as let her head sink further into the pillow, all the time regretting asking.

"So if you pin Peyton down after the competition, I can beat the crap out of her right before I win my trophy."

"Yeah…I don't think so."

"Well then you think of some other way I can get my revenge."

"You don't think you should just let this whole thing go?"

Brooke looked taken aback as she let Haley's words sink in. "Let it go?"

"C'mon Brooke, you must have heard how stupid that plan sounds. You were only kidding."

"Yeah I was, but I can't just let it go."

"But why?" Haley was almost pleading with her now, and she didn't quite know why.

"I'm going to get Lucas. I'm going to give her the payback she deserves, and I'm going to win that God damn trophy."

"That's a lot to win." Haley said lowly, unsure of whether Brooke heard or not, but apparently she had.

"Game on."

----

Naturally, the students had been given a curfew, so even more naturally, they felt the need to disobey Whitey's strict instructions for lights off at 9pm sharp.

"I've got speakers set up in the pool area." Nathan told Haley, who was busy trying to stretch before practise in the gym. "And Tim's got the drinks."

Haley nodded, looking across the room to Lucas, whose eyes were firmly fixed on...her actually. "Sounds good" She mumbled, suddenly feeling even more uncomfortable with two pairs of blue eyes on her.

He stared at her, all the way through their practise sequences, not to mention their break, where Brooke handed out bottles of Evian faster than Haley had ever seen anyone move before.

She was unsure as to why he wasn't staring at Brooke, and even more unsure as to why he hadn't made any sly comments or smirked, or even raised his eyebrow. Lucas actually looked a little…distressed, worried even.

"Haley can I talk to you?" He stopped her as she was leaving the gym, Brooke's arm linked with her own as they chatted about how much of a bitch Claire Young was. Well actually, Brooke told her how much of a bitch she was, Haley having never met the girl, was in no position to judge.

She looked between Brooke and Lucas, and when Brooke gave her a nod and unlinked her arm, Haley stood aside as the rest of the squad walked past.

"Moving on to Haley now?" Peyton smirked. "Brooke must be super pissed."

Lucas ignored her comment to the best of his ability, looking around before talking.

"What is it Lucas?" Haley asked impatiently-clearly another of Brooke's attributes she had picked up.

"I need to talk to you." He said quietly "About Brooke."

"Look this 'game' or whatever it is you're all playing." She air quoted. "It's getting out of hand and it's pointless."

"I like her you know."

"Loads of people _like_ her Lucas."

"But it's more than that." he protested. "I feel…things."

"How romantic." She rolled her eyes sarcastically, waiting for him to finally say that he wanted Brooke. She wasn't being harsh-Lucas deserved it, besides, she figured that if he couldn't even tell her how he felt, he sure as Hell wasn't going to be able to tell Brooke.

"You're not making it easy for me." He tried to joke in that same manner he'd been comfortable with when first moving to Tree Hill.

"It's not supposed to be easy."

----

Brooke had made sure that she was dressed in a killer outfit, consisting of…well not much really. Her jeans skirt was covering the top of her legs, while underneath she had on her red bikini, one that had only a little bit of string to hold it together. Unfortunately, Brooke had bought it back when her boobs were firmly C cups, not bordering on D's, as was now the case.

She wore the red silk top from the party when Lucas had so effortlessly unhooked her bra, a top that would always remind her of him, no matter how much she tried not to think about it. Of course, her feet hadn't been left out of the occasion, and with her nails painted a pretty pink, they looked perfectly manicured in the matching red flips flops. An outfit worthy of any pool party.

Haley on the other hand, hadn't packed for such an event, and was biting her nails while pacing her and Brooke's room in the borrowed blue two-piece.

"You look hot and I just look frumpy." Haley whined, grabbing at the material and curling her nose up.

"Well you're going to make it worse by stretching it!"

Had Brooke brought a spare bikini, she would have gladly leant it to Haley, but she hadn't, so instead, that had fallen on Theresa, who Brooke declared 'Must have been shopping at Target or something'.

Most people were already in the pool area when Haley and Brooke arrived, receiving many wolf-whistles, much to Brooke's delight and Haley's embarrassment. She was really regretting letting Brooke force her to join the squad.

"Looking hot ladies." Nathan shouted from across the pool. Haley couldn't help but smile, and when he offered to get her a drink, she accepted, leaving Brooke to mingle with the rest of the cheerleaders.

She saw Lucas, who was quite obviously watching Brooke, but when Nathan caught her, she quickly turned away, averting her gaze back to the activity in the pool.

"He's a loser." Nathan commented, nodding in Lucas' direction.

"Why do you guys hate each other?"

Nathan let his own gaze wander as he tried to think of an answer, at least, one that he could tell Haley.

He wasn't going to let on that the reason he hadn't liked his half-brother was because he had found photos of him in his father's desk drawer. That wouldn't have been a problem if Dan hadn't missed Nathan's birthday due to the fact that he was paying other son Lucas a visit. He'd promised him tickets to see the Charlotte Bobcats, and Nathan had waited and waited for him to come home from work to take him. It was only due to overhearing his mother's phone call that he found out that his dad hadn't been in an unavoidable business meeting. He'd been with Lucas.

"I just do." Nathan blurted quickly, changing the subject. "You wanna dance?"

They joined a few others at one end of the pool room, which was growing increasingly hotter by the second, meaning that many of the girls had stripped down to just their bikinis, much to the guys' satisfaction.

----

Lucas had watched Brooke get pretty much wasted before he made his way over to where she was grinding up against Bevin, who was being eyed up by a very eager Tim.

"Looking good." He bent down just enough so that his voice vibrated through her ear, and a small smile unwittingly crossed her face. She turned, so that he was incorporated in their dancing, and Lucas was glad that he hadn't changed tactics, that he hadn't been honest straight away. The truth could wait…for now.

Bevin dropped out of the dancing one song later, stating that she needed another drink. Brooke continued to let her arm drape over Lucas' shoulder however, and as he felt her hips push into him just that little bit more, it was all he could do not to moan out loud.

"I remember that top." he told her, against pressing his lips against her ear so that she could hear him. Brooke was now sure that it wasn't just the alcohol that was making her want to fall down there and then, and as he let out an uneven breath, she had to bite her lip just to stop herself from attacking him with her own.

Peyton stared at them the whole time, from her position in the Jacuzzi, and Brooke and Lucas were now_ really _starting to piss her off.

"Good luck tomorrow." Nathan shouted to Haley as she made her way to the doors of the pool room, ready to hit her bed with Brooke, whose body was still practically on top of Lucas'. "With the classic and everything."

Haley smiled warmly at him, a little stab of something running through her once again. She mouthed over 'thanks' as she ran a hand through her hair, narrowing her eyes when she caught Peyton sending a death-glare Brooke's way.

Brooke groaned inwardly as she saw Haley waiting for her beside the doors at the time, she herself had instructed them to meet.

"I gotta go." She told Lucas, who was beginning to feel himself loosing control very quickly.

"Good luck tomorrow." He whispered to her as she let her breath out against his skin one last time. "I'll be watching."

----

"So what was up with you and Nathan tonight?" Brooke raised her eyebrows at Haley as they collapsed onto their respective beds. "I saw you guys flirting."

"Well if that's what you call flirting, then what the Hell was going on between you and Lucas?" Haley half-asked, half-exclaimed. "You were practically having sex on the dance floor."

"We were not!"

"Whatever." Haley rolled her eyes at the girl on the bed next to her, who had a look of satisfaction across her face.

----

The girls had busy practising that next morning while the guys had too, been working hard for the basketball final they were due to play after the Classic. Time had (too quickly) rolled around for the competition, and Brooke was pacing the floor as the Bear Creek Warriors performed their sequence in front of the judges, and the crowd who, unfortunately, seemed to love every second of it.

"This is going to suck if we don't win, you know that right?" Brooke shouted, chewing her lip.

"Way to make us feel less nervous." Peyton muttered, offering a scowl in Brooke's direction, but the brunette was too busy worrying whether a Beyonce remix was the best choice of music.

The crowd however, roared when the Ravens were called onto the floor by the announcer, and as Brooke caught Lucas winking in her direction, it was all she needed to deliver the kick ass routine they'd been working so religiously on over the past months.

"We kicked ass out there!" Bevin squealed, high-fiving Theresa who was more concerned with the dark-haired guy in the audience whom she'd seen before at last year's tournament.

"You guys did it!" Brooke added, hugging Haley who wasn't sure whether she wanted to jump or scream or run into Nathan's arms.

----

There was another party by the pool that night, a celebratory party for which Whitey had lifted curfew so that the winning ravens, both cheerleaders and basketball players could enjoy their evening.

Excited girls ran along the corridors, many in just their bras and panties, some, such as Haley with dressing gowns covering bare flesh in order to switch outfits and steal make up.

"Damn Haley!" Brooke exclaimed as her friend emerged from the bathroom wearing a red bikini borrowed from someone who had better taste in swimwear than Theresa.

"Not enough skin coverage?" She smirked, knowing fine well that with her hair lightly curled from earlier that day, she looked hot.

"Nathan's not going to be able to keep control!"

Haley simply smiled, hoping that that might well be the case. "Well look at you."

Brooke surveyed herself in front of the floor-length mirror. The emerald green halter neck bikini she had borrowed from Bevin was certainly doing her curves favours, and as she slipped a short skirt over the top, she smirked at her own reflection.

"I'd like to think I look kinda hot" She giggled, running a hand through her hair one last time before they exited the room.

----

As had been the case the previous night, the music was blaring in the pool room and dancing was in full swing. There were, of course, a few people hitting a beach ball around the pool while splashing each other and play-fighting, something both Haley and Brooke had never understood about guys.

"Drink ladies?" Tim asked.

"Actually, I think I'll pass."

Haley looked at Brooke, a little startled at her refusal of a drink, but rolled her eyes when the brunette then said "Who am I kidding? Of course I want a drink God damnit!"

She was dancing when Lucas approached her from behind, removing the empty cup from her hand as he handed her another one full of vodka and cranberry juice.

"Are you trying to get me drunk Mr Scott?"

He smirked a little and shrugged. "Only if you want me to get you drunk."

She turned into him, letting her arms fall over his shoulders as they moved to the loud beats of Christina Aquilera's 'Dirty'.

_I don't wanna talk  
About the things we've gone through_

"Look" Haley nudged Nathan to look in Brooke and Lucas' direction.

"He's…"

"Yeah yeah.." Haley interrupted, smirking in a manner that Nathan found both intriguing and seriously sexy. "He's a loser like you keep saying."

Nathan smiled as nodded towards where the students were dancing. "I'm glad we're on the same wavelength."

She smiled as they walked to what could have been described as the dance floor, as a very _very _pissed Peyton looked on from her position at the edge of the pool.

_I've played all my cards  
And that's what you've done too_

"Look Brooke." Lucas began, lowering his lips to her ear in order for her to hear him. "About everything, I'm sorry."

She shook her head, mumbling "it's okay" onto his neck as he let out a breath of anticipation, of want. And it was then, that Brooke reached up, all inhibitions gone as she let her lips crash onto his, a sweet mixture of strawberry lip gloss and cranberry juice smearing across his mouth. Lucas groaned, just a little, as she slipped her tongue part way into his mouth, digging her nails every so slightly into his back.

_Nothing more to say  
No more ace to play_

"So I guess you got Lucas then." Peyton slurred as Brooke walked past the drinks table. She shrugged and let her gaze avert to the boy in question, the one that gave her a nod and a small smirk.

"Guess so."

"You know it was all just a game." Peyton began. "I was only playing along."

Brooke shrugged again. "Yeah me too." She glanced again at Lucas, who made his way over, cup in hand. "And I play to win."

He led her away, back to where they had been dancing, and as he slipped a hand around her waist as she fell into a comfortable grinding rhythm, one that sent waves of lust and passion up her spine, Brooke caught Peyton's eye, shooting her a satisfied smirk.

_The winner takes it all

* * *

**A/N **And there we have it! 'Play The Game' is over. I just want to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who has ever reviewed, they've really made it worthwhile for me writing this._

Okay so I just want to ask a question: You can choice whether you want a sequel to this story (I have a few ideas alreday) or a totally new story (again I have some ideas) so it's up to you guys. Just let me know which you'd prefer. I'm also trying to write a new chapter for 'Just the Gardener'

And it's the last time I'm going to say it, so _please review _because you know how much it means.

Emily-Grace xxx


End file.
